1. When you were a senior in high school, your college announced plans to build a new and modern athletic complex with pools, spas, weight rooms, and exercise rooms for general student use. You chose to enroll largely based on these plans as announced. You are now a senior and the building is just being started. What rights, if any, do you have because you never had the opportunity to use the facility?
2. You are an accounting major at your school. Your goal is to go to graduate school to obtain further education and the appropriate credits necessary to become a certified public accountant. Your goals are well known to your faculty and administration, and it is also well known that your parents and grandparents are CPAs, as well as your older brothers and sisters. As you enter your junior year, after paying your tuition and room and board fees in full, your school loses its regional accreditation, making any degree issued by the school essentially worthless. A worthless degree will not be recognized by graduate schools and will not be recognized by state accounting boards. When you demand a refund, the school refuses, claiming that it will still provide classes and knowledge. Do you have grounds to have the contract terminated and receive a refund?
3. Harry entered into a contract with Sally in which she was to pay $50,000 for Harry's hunting cabin. All negotiations, witnessed by various third parties, stated the $50,000 figure as the sales price. When the contract was written, a typographic error was made indicating a price of $5,000. At settlement, Sally tendered $5,000 and demanded the deed in accordance with the written contract. Must Harry sell the cabin for $5,000?
4. Shirley is an actress under contract with Twentieth Century. Shirley agreed to perform the lead role in a musical to be filmed in Hollywood by Twentieth Century. At the last minute, Twentieth Century decided to scrap the musical and assigned its rights in Shirley to MGM. MGM was planning to film a western in Australia requiring Shirley to spend six months filming in Australia. Can Shirley successfully prevent this assignment?
5. Olivia works as an advertising executive for a large public relations firm in New York. Her boss gives her tickets to attend a formal event in Washington, D.C., that will be attended by many of the firm's clients. He expects her to represent the firm and generally solidify client relations through her attendance. While mingling with the attendees, she slips on a spilled drink and is severely injured in the fall. If Olivia files for workers' compensation, will she be eligible for benefits?
6. Sandy worked for a small printing company. She found a new job that would pay much more. In accordance with company policy, she gave her employer a two-week notice that she would be leaving. Her employer was upset that she was quitting, so he terminated her employment immediately. Sandy was upset because she thought she had acted properly by giving her employer two weeks’ notice. Her new employer will not be able to employ her for two weeks. Sandy believes her employer has breached the employment agreement and she should be paid for the two weeks between jobs. Is she right? Explain.
7. A child of 16 years of age is hired to work a dangerous meat-packing machine in a plant that ships meat to all 50 states. He is to be paid at the rate of $2.50 per hour for 50 hours per week, all outside of school hours. Discuss any potential legal problem on the part of the employer.
8. Elmer has been a faithful worker at the Middle America Manufacturing Company for over 30 years. One day when he comes to work, he gets called into the supervisor's office and is told that the company has decided to lay off all of its current employees and move the plant to Mexico just south of the Texas border.
a. Does Elmer have any protections under the common law doctrine of employment at will? Explain.
b. Does Elmer have any protections under employment discrimination law? Explain.