For a five-year period, Laurie Henry worked for James Doull, the owner of four Taco Bell franchises. During that time, she had an affair with Doull. He was the father of her two illegitimate children. Enraged over a domestic matter, Doull physically assaulted her at the Taco Bell Restaurant and then fired her and ordered her off the premises. Later, on Doull’s recommendation, she was hired by a “company store” in an adjoining state. Henry brought suit against Doull, his corporate entity Taco Tia, Inc., and the Taco Bell Corporation

(TBC). She did not characterize her suit as a case of sexual harassment. Rather, she contended that TBC was responsible for Doull’s actions because he was TBC’s agent. She sought damages for the loss of romantic and material satisfactions a person might expect from a traditional courtship and wedding.

TBC denied that Doull was its employee or agent. The evidence showed that Henry knew that Doull’s stores differed from TBC “company” stores. She insisted, having worked for four years for Doull at stores adorned with Taco-Bell signs, that Taco Bell was responsible for Doull’s actions. Decide.

[Henry v Taco Tia, Inc., 606 So2d 1376 (La App)]

978 Part 7 Business Organizations AppendixLO1