THE COMPLAINT, WHICH ALLEGED PLAINTIFF’S FORMER EMPLOYER “BLACKBALLED” HIM BY PREVENTING HIM FROM PROCURING EMPLOYMENT WITH OTHER COMPANIES. STATED A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE CONTRACTUAL RELATIONS (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the complaint stated a cause of action for tortious interference with prospective contractual relations. Plaintiff was allegedly “blackballed” by his former employer, Con Edison, when he sought employment with other companies after he was fired by Con Edison, allegedly for complaining about illegal dumping of waste:

Contrary to the plaintiff’s contention, the amended complaint failed to state a cause of action to recover damages for tortious interference with contract insofar as asserted against Con Edison. The amended complaint alleged that the plaintiff entered into certain employment contracts after he was terminated from Restani and that Con Edison interfered with those contracts, causing the plaintiff’s termination. Inasmuch as the plaintiff failed to allege that those employment contracts were for a definite term, we presume that they were terminable at will … . A contract that is terminable at will cannot form the basis of a claim for tortious interference with contract because such a contract “contemplates prospective contractual relations only” … .

… [T]he amended complaint stated a cause of action to recover damages for tortious interference with prospective contractual relations insofar as asserted against Con Edison. “Where, as here, the alleged interference was with prospective contractual relationships, rather than existing contracts, a plaintiff must show that the defendant interfered with the plaintiff’s business relationships either with the sole purpose of harming the plaintiff or by means that were unlawful or improper” … . “‘This standard is met where the interference with prospective business relations was accomplished by wrongful means or where the offending party acted for the sole purpose of harming the other party'” … . Wrongful means may include physical violence, fraud, misrepresentation, civil suits, criminal prosecutions, and economic pressure … . Here, the plaintiff sufficiently alleged that Con Edison tortiously interfered with his prospective contractual relationship with his employers by engaging in unlawful retaliatory conduct in violation of Labor Law § 740 … . Ackerson v Restani Constr. Corp., 2024 NY Slip Op 06322, Second Dept 12-18-24

Practice Point: The court noted that interference with at will contracts cannot be the basis for a tortious interference with contract cause of action. However interference with at will contracts can be the basis for a tortious interference with prospective contractual relations cause of action.