Farnam v. CRISTA Ministries

• Decision Date: 04 April 1991
• Docket Number: No. 55820-5,55820-5
• Citation: 807 P.2d 830,116 Wn.2d 659
• Parties: Nancy C. FARNAM and Philip C. Farnam, her husband and the marital community comprised thereof, Respondents, v. CRISTA MINISTRIES, Appellant. En Banc
• Court: Washington Supreme Court

Page 659

116 Wn.2d 659

807 P.2d 830

Nancy C. FARNAM and Philip C. Farnam, her husband and the marital community comprised thereof, Respondents, v. CRISTA MINISTRIES, Appellant.

No. 55820-5.

Supreme Court of Washington,

En Banc.

April 4, 1991.

As Changed May 15, 1991.

[807 P.2d 831] Talmadge, Friedman & Cutler,

Philip A. Talmadge, Seattle, for appellant.

Strasburg, Levy & Spitzer, P.S., Sanford R. Levy, Carolyn Gans, Seattle, for respondents.

Jeffrey S. Schuster, Seattle, amicus curiae for respondents on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union.

DURHAM, Justice.

Nancy Farnam brought a civil action against her employer, CRISTA Ministries (CRISTA), claiming religious discrimination and wrongful discharge in violation of public policy. The jury returned a verdict for Farnam on both counts. CRISTA moved for judgment n.o.v., and the trial court upheld the wrongful discharge claim. However, the court reversed and dismissed the religious discrimination claim, holding that because CRISTA was a religious organization, it was therefore exempt from such actions pursuant to RCW 49.60.040.

As to each ruling, the aggrieved party appeals. We hold that Farnam has not stated a cause of action for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy. Accordingly, the trial court's denial of CRISTA's motion for judgment n.o.v. as to that claim is reversed. We also hold that CRISTA is a religious organization within the exemption of RCW 49.60.040, and affirm the trial court's dismissal of Farnam's religious discrimination claim.

Before proceeding with our analysis, a caution regarding the dissent is in order. This case involves only the interpretation of the applicable law of employment. The dissent's unwarranted foray into the emotionally charged theatre of bio-ethics is as dangerous as it is irrelevant. Termination of life support is one of the most complex issues of our time and demands thoughtful and informed analysis. Neither the trial judge nor the parties dealt with this issue, and it has not been presented to this court. As such, it has no place in this case.

I

CRISTA is a nonprofit interdenominational Christian organization, which is a single corporate entity encompassing seven divisions, including schools, counseling services, radio stations and health care facilities. Nancy Farnam was employed as a nurse at one of CRISTA's nursing homes from approximately April 1979 until September 1985. All CRISTA employees, including Farnam, are required to sign a "doctrinal statement" stating that they adhere to a statement of Christian faith. Farnam testified that she wanted to work at CRISTA because she believed that it was a Christian organization. She also testified that she received assurances, prior to being hired, that CRISTA did not permit the withholding of food and water from patients. At all relevant times, Farnam was a co-unit supervisor, or primary care nurse, at Poplar Court, the acute care wing of the nursing home.

In July 1984, a decision was made to remove the nasal-gastric feeding tube (NG tube) from Ellen Goodhope. The decision was made by her doctor in connection with a prognosis board and Goodhope's family. Farnam and other nurses objected to the decision. Farnam objected on religious grounds and also because she was concerned that aspiration and pneumonia were likely to occur if she tried to give food or water orally after the tube was removed. It is disputed whether or not CRISTA had a policy requiring the giving of food or water under those circumstances. Because Farnam was Goodhope's primary care nurse, she believed that she was the one who would have to remove the NG tube.

Jeffrey Crandall, the administrator of the nursing center at CRISTA Senior Community, initially told Farnam that she had to remove the NG tube if she wanted to continue working at CRISTA. However, Crandall later changed his position and told Farnam that the removal of NG tubes was not a condition of her employment. Goodhope was transferred to another facility for the removal of her NG tube.

In March 1985, the decision was made to remove the NG tube of another terminal patient, Clarine Perkins. JoAnn Beaumont, assistant director of nursing services, suggested to Farnam that, if she refused to remove the NG tube, she would be transferred to another unit. Again, Farnam objected. Farnam suggested that if the tube was to be removed, Perkins should be transferred to another unit, rather than transferring the objecting nurses. Eventually, the tube was removed by supervisory staff and Perkins was transferred to another unit within CRISTA.

In April, Farnam and other concerned nurses sent a letter to the head of the Board of Trustees of CRISTA stating that they realized that the removal of NG tubes was legally protected, but they believed it violated their Christian values and CRISTA's image as a Christian provider of care for the elderly. The letter went on to request a meeting with the Board to discuss the issue.

Farnam also spoke with Yong Hall, the long-term care ombudsman at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, regarding Farnam's concerns about CRISTA's life support removal policies and her legal rights if she refused to remove NG tubes.

Farnam, through her husband, initiated a contact with The Seattle Times that resulted in an article being printed in that paper. The article, which appeared on the front page of the April 14, 1985 Sunday edition, described CRISTA as having permitted "death by starvation". Farnam was quoted in the article as saying that CRISTA was "trying to make us the executioners. And if I don't like it, I'm supposed to stay quiet." Farnam testified that these quotes were accurate.

Sometime in 1985, in response to an anonymous call, Yong Hall met with Crandall regarding the policies at CRISTA. Hall reviewed CRISTA's policies on the withdrawal of life support systems. She took no action against CRISTA, but suggested that CRISTA form a committee to address the issue and develop clear policies. In late April, CRISTA established an ad hoc committee to develop a formal policy with regard to the withdrawal issue.

The reports during Farnam's remaining tenure are disputed. Farnam testified generally that her beliefs were criticized as not being Christian, that her supervisors were spying on her in attempt to document enough deficiencies in her performance to fire her, and that she was unfairly suspended and criticized in her work evaluation. She claimed that Poplar Court was intentionally understaffed so that she could not complete her work. She filed a grievance pursuant to CRISTA's written policies but contends it was not taken seriously.

CRISTA management employees testified generally that Farnam's work performance was deteriorating. They attributed this to Farnam spending too much time on the feeding tube controversy by organizing meetings, discussing it with others during business hours, and making personal phone calls. Management testified that Poplar Court was not understaffed--Farnam was simply not properly managing her time or delegating duties. Management also testified that, rather than spying on Farnam, it was conducting proper employee evaluations. Management did request that any complaints made regarding Farnam be put in writing. Further, Farnam's grievance had been taken seriously.

On September 3, Farnam's nursing license expired and she was told she would have to leave work until her new license arrived. Farnam contends that CRISTA was singling her out because no other nurse had been sent home in similar situations. CRISTA contends that it was simply complying with applicable state law. Farnam went home the day her nursing license expired and did not return.

Farnam sent CRISTA a letter stating that she considered herself discharged. CRISTA responded with a letter stating that she had not been terminated. CRISTA gave Farnam until September 16 to inform CRISTA of the date she intended to return to work. The letter also stated that a failure to respond would be considered a voluntary resignation. Farnam did not respond. By a letter dated September 18, 1985, CRISTA acknowledged recognition and acceptance of Farnam's resignation.

Farnam filed suit against CRISTA and individual members of its management staff. She claimed that she had been constructively discharged in retaliation for expressing her religious views and, therefore, was wrongfully discharged in violation of public policy. She also brought claims for intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract, intentional interference with contractual relations, and religious discrimination. Her husband claimed emotional distress and loss of consortium. His claim was dismissed with prejudice by stipulation of the parties. CRISTA moved for summary judgment, and all of Farnam's claims, except those against CRISTA for discharge in violation of public policy and religious discrimination, were dismissed. The trial court denied reconsideration of the order.

In Farnam's original complaint, she alleged that she was discharged in violation of public policy for expressing her religious views. However, the claim was tried, over CRISTA's objection, on the theory that Farnam was discharged in violation of the public policy set forth in Washington's patient abuse reporting statute, RCW 70.124.

The case was tried to a jury, which returned verdicts for Farnam on both claims and awarded her a total of $100,000, which was not segregated by claim.

CRISTA brought a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or, in the alternative, a new trial. Farnam moved for an award of attorney fees. The trial court reversed and dismissed the religious discrimination by harassment claim, holding that CRISTA was exempt from such claims under RCW 49.60 because it was a religious organization. However, the trial court upheld the jury verdict and award of $100,000 on the claim of wrongful discharge in violation of public...