Supreme Court of Missouri / Jul 12, 2022
Travis Poke sued the Independence School District, alleging he was fired in retaliation for filing a workers' compensation claim. The circuit court granted summary judgment to the school district, finding it was protected by sovereign immunity. The Missouri Supreme Court reversed, holding that the plain language of sections 287.780 and 287.030, read together, constitutes an express waiver of sovereign immunity for workers' compensation retaliation claims against school districts.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Sep 7, 2021
Travis Poke sued the Independence School District for retaliatory discharge after he filed a workers' compensation claim, alleging his termination was pretextual. The trial court granted summary judgment for the School District, concluding it was protected by sovereign immunity. The appellate court reversed, holding that the statutory provisions for workers' compensation claims against employers, which include school districts, constitute an express waiver of sovereign immunity for retaliatory discharge claims, and that the sovereign immunity exception for state employees does not apply to school districts.