James Hennessey, Plaintiff-Appellant v. Coastal Eagle Point Oil Company, Defendant-Respondent

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey affirmed the Appellate Division, holding that the termination of a safety‑sensitive employee for failing a random urine drug test does not violate a clear mandate of public policy and therefore does not support a wrongful‑discharge claim. The Court reasoned that the public safety interests outweigh any privacy interests, and while both constitutional and common‑law privacy rights may inform public policy, they do not create a clear mandate in this context. Justice Pollock, dissenting, would have held that only the common‑law privacy right provides a clear mandate of public policy.