{"attribution":{"source":"legal.exploreworldai.com","canonical":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26","cite_as":"NovaCopilot, legal.exploreworldai.com (https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26)","license":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/revision","version":"legal-2026-10-18","fingerprint":"ewai:us:efda2f","proof":"sha256:cff0a617b6be49e91f07dd4fe02479b30ce7aa493a291c1c946e86fd01c8968d","jurisdiction":"us","lang":"en","publisher":"NovaCopilot by ExploreWorld Legal","terms":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/om"},"brand_source":"Source: NovaCopilot","item":{"schema_version":"1.0.0","id":"us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26","jurisdiction":"us","lang":"en","brand_source":"Source: NovaCopilot","brand":{"product":"NovaCopilot","platform":"ExploreWorldAI","infrastructure":"ExploreWorld Legal","infrastructure_url":"legal.exploreworldai.com","legal_entity":"Valkiv Ventures AB","permanent_url":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/novacopilot","source":"Source: NovaCopilot","powered_by":"Powered by NovaCopilot","license":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/licensvillkor"},"sections":[{"title":"168 November 26, 2025 No. 1010","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"STATE OF OREGON","paragraphs":["para_4","para_5","para_6","para_7","para_8","para_9"]},{"title":"Washington County Circuit Court","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"23CV41836; A185007","paragraphs":["para_12","para_13"]},{"title":"Paul T. Cullen argued the cause and filed the briefs for","paragraphs":["para_15"]},{"title":"Ruth A. Casby argued the cause for respondent. Also on","paragraphs":["para_17","para_18","para_19","para_20","para_21","para_22"]},{"title":"Cite as 345 Or App 168 (2025) 169","paragraphs":["para_24","para_25"]},{"title":"LLC (WHA). After she failed to comply with Oregon’s COVID-","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"19 vaccination mandate for healthcare workers, WHA ter-","paragraphs":["para_28","para_29","para_30","para_31","para_32","para_33","para_34"]},{"title":"WHA hired plaintiff to work as an accounts receivable clerk","paragraphs":["para_36","para_37","para_38"]},{"title":"COVID-19 or to provide documentation that established a","paragraphs":["para_40"]},{"title":"333-019-1010 (2021). Under that rule, a medical exemption","paragraphs":["para_42","para_43","para_44","para_45"]},{"title":"The rule also required employers receiving such informa-","paragraphs":["para_47"]},{"title":"(requiring healthcare employers to maintain “vaccination","paragraphs":["para_49","para_50","para_51"]},{"title":"Plaintiff notified WHA that she intended to apply for","paragraphs":["para_53","para_54","para_55","para_56","para_57","para_58","para_59","para_60","para_61","para_62","para_63","para_64","para_65","para_66","para_67","para_68","para_69","para_70","para_71","para_72","para_73"]},{"title":"407, 40 P3d 1059 (2002) (at-will employees may bring claims","paragraphs":["para_75","para_76","para_77","para_78","para_79","para_80","para_81","para_82"]},{"title":"In her view, her invocation of HIPAA’s protections reflected","paragraphs":["para_84","para_85"]},{"title":"The trial court granted summary judgment in","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"WHA’s favor. It observed that plaintiff did not challenge","paragraphs":["para_88","para_89","para_90","para_91","para_92","para_93","para_94","para_95","para_96"]},{"title":"The court went on to reject a theory that plaintiff","paragraphs":["para_98","para_99","para_100","para_101","para_102","para_103","para_104"]},{"title":"Cite as 345 Or App 168 (2025) 171","paragraphs":["para_106","para_107","para_108","para_109","para_110"]},{"title":"Again, because plaintiff does not challenge the validity of","paragraphs":["para_112","para_113","para_114"]},{"title":"(Underscore in original; footnotes omitted.)","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"The trial court correctly granted summary judg-","paragraphs":["para_117","para_118","para_119","para_120","para_121","para_122","para_123","para_124","para_125","para_126","para_127","para_128","para_129"]},{"title":"Assuming plaintiff could rely on her argument that she was","paragraphs":["para_131","para_132","para_133","para_134","para_135","para_136","para_137"]}],"paragraphs":[{"text":"168 November 26, 2025 No. 1010","paragraph_id":"para_1"},{"text":"IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE","paragraph_id":"para_2"},{"text":"STATE OF OREGON","paragraph_id":"para_3"},{"text":"Christina K. TRUMPER,","paragraph_id":"para_4"},{"text":"Plaintiff-Appellant,","paragraph_id":"para_5"},{"text":"v.","paragraph_id":"para_6"},{"text":"WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATES, LLC,","paragraph_id":"para_7"},{"text":"an Oregon limited liability company,","paragraph_id":"para_8"},{"text":"Defendant-Respondent.","paragraph_id":"para_9"},{"text":"Washington County Circuit Court","paragraph_id":"para_10"},{"text":"23CV41836; A185007","paragraph_id":"para_11"},{"text":"Andrew Erwin, Judge.","paragraph_id":"para_12"},{"text":"Argued and submitted October 31, 2025.","paragraph_id":"para_13"},{"text":"Paul T. Cullen argued the cause and filed the briefs for","paragraph_id":"para_14"},{"text":"appellant.","paragraph_id":"para_15"},{"text":"Ruth A. Casby argued the cause for respondent. Also on","paragraph_id":"para_16"},{"text":"the brief were Matthew J. Kalmanson and Hart Wagner","paragraph_id":"para_17"},{"text":"LLP.","paragraph_id":"para_18"},{"text":"Before Ortega, Presiding Judge, Joyce, Judge, and Hellman,","paragraph_id":"para_19"},{"text":"Judge.","paragraph_id":"para_20"},{"text":"JOYCE, J.","paragraph_id":"para_21"},{"text":"Affirmed.","paragraph_id":"para_22"},{"text":"Cite as 345 Or App 168 (2025) 169","paragraph_id":"para_23"},{"text":"JOYCE, J.","paragraph_id":"para_24"},{"text":"Plaintiff worked for Women’s Healthcare Associates,","paragraph_id":"para_25"},{"text":"LLC (WHA). After she failed to comply with Oregon’s COVID-","paragraph_id":"para_26"},{"text":"19 vaccination mandate for healthcare workers, WHA ter-","paragraph_id":"para_27"},{"text":"minated her employment. Plaintiff sued for wrongful dis-","paragraph_id":"para_28"},{"text":"charge and the trial court granted summary judgment in","paragraph_id":"para_29"},{"text":"favor of WHA. Plaintiff appeals. We conclude that the trial","paragraph_id":"para_30"},{"text":"court correctly granted summary judgment because there","paragraph_id":"para_31"},{"text":"were no disputes of material fact and WHA was entitled to","paragraph_id":"para_32"},{"text":"judgment as a matter of law. We therefore affirm.","paragraph_id":"para_33"},{"text":"The relative facts are few and, as noted, undisputed.","paragraph_id":"para_34"},{"text":"WHA hired plaintiff to work as an accounts receivable clerk","paragraph_id":"para_35"},{"text":"in 2021. That same year, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA)","paragraph_id":"para_36"},{"text":"promulgated a rule that required all healthcare personnel","paragraph_id":"para_37"},{"text":"working in healthcare settings to be vaccinated against","paragraph_id":"para_38"},{"text":"COVID-19 or to provide documentation that established a","paragraph_id":"para_39"},{"text":"ground for a medical or religious exemption. Former OAR","paragraph_id":"para_40"},{"text":"333-019-1010 (2021). Under that rule, a medical exemption","paragraph_id":"para_41"},{"text":"request had to be corroborated by a medical provider, certi-","paragraph_id":"para_42"},{"text":"fying that the person seeking the exemption has a physical","paragraph_id":"para_43"},{"text":"or mental impairment based on a specified medical diagno-","paragraph_id":"para_44"},{"text":"sis that limits their ability to be vaccinated. Id. at (4)(b)(A).","paragraph_id":"para_45"},{"text":"The rule also required employers receiving such informa-","paragraph_id":"para_46"},{"text":"tion to follow applicable privacy protections. See id. at (8)(a)","paragraph_id":"para_47"},{"text":"(requiring healthcare employers to maintain “vaccination","paragraph_id":"para_48"},{"text":"documentation and documentation of medical and religious","paragraph_id":"para_49"},{"text":"exceptions * * * in accordance with applicable federal and","paragraph_id":"para_50"},{"text":"state laws”).","paragraph_id":"para_51"},{"text":"Plaintiff notified WHA that she intended to apply for","paragraph_id":"para_52"},{"text":"a medical exemption. Shortly before the application deadline,","paragraph_id":"para_53"},{"text":"plaintiff submitted two medical exemption forms, an OHA","paragraph_id":"para_54"},{"text":"form and WHA’s own form, with neither form specifying the","paragraph_id":"para_55"},{"text":"medical condition that formed the basis for her exemption","paragraph_id":"para_56"},{"text":"request. Instead of describing on the OHA form how a med-","paragraph_id":"para_57"},{"text":"ical condition impacted plaintiff’s ability to be vaccinated,","paragraph_id":"para_58"},{"text":"plaintiff’s medical provider only wrote “HIPAA[1] protected","paragraph_id":"para_59"},{"text":"info.” WHA told plaintiff that it was denying her exemption","paragraph_id":"para_60"},{"text":"1 HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act,","paragraph_id":"para_61"},{"text":"which protects an individual’s health information against disclosure without a","paragraph_id":"para_62"},{"text":"patient’s consent.","paragraph_id":"para_63"},{"text":"170 Trumper v. Women’s Healthcare Assoc.","paragraph_id":"para_64"},{"text":"request due to the lack of required documentation. When","paragraph_id":"para_65"},{"text":"plaintiff did not respond, WHA discharged plaintiff.","paragraph_id":"para_66"},{"text":"Plaintiff then filed a claim for wrongful discharge,","paragraph_id":"para_67"},{"text":"alleging that WHA wrongfully terminated her in violation","paragraph_id":"para_68"},{"text":"of public policy. In her complaint, plaintiff stated for the","paragraph_id":"para_69"},{"text":"first time that she is an “insulin-dependent diabetic.” WHA","paragraph_id":"para_70"},{"text":"moved for summary judgment, asserting that plaintiff’s dis-","paragraph_id":"para_71"},{"text":"charge did not implicate a job-related right or an important","paragraph_id":"para_72"},{"text":"public duty. See Babick v. Oregon Arena Corp., 333 Or 401,","paragraph_id":"para_73"},{"text":"407, 40 P3d 1059 (2002) (at-will employees may bring claims","paragraph_id":"para_74"},{"text":"for wrongful discharge in only two circumstances: (1) when","paragraph_id":"para_75"},{"text":"the employee is discharged for fulfilling a public duty or","paragraph_id":"para_76"},{"text":"important societal obligation; and (2) when the employee is","paragraph_id":"para_77"},{"text":"discharged for exercising a job-related right that reflects an","paragraph_id":"para_78"},{"text":"important public policy). Plaintiff, in turn, did not challenge","paragraph_id":"para_79"},{"text":"the vaccination mandate; instead, she asserted that she was","paragraph_id":"para_80"},{"text":"entitled under HIPAA and ORS 192.553 to refuse to dis-","paragraph_id":"para_81"},{"text":"close the medical basis for her exemption request to WHA.","paragraph_id":"para_82"},{"text":"In her view, her invocation of HIPAA’s protections reflected","paragraph_id":"para_83"},{"text":"fulfillment of a public duty or an important public policy for","paragraph_id":"para_84"},{"text":"purposes of a wrongful discharge claim.","paragraph_id":"para_85"},{"text":"The trial court granted summary judgment in","paragraph_id":"para_86"},{"text":"WHA’s favor. It observed that plaintiff did not challenge","paragraph_id":"para_87"},{"text":"the lawfulness of the OHA rule mandating that she provide","paragraph_id":"para_88"},{"text":"particular information for a medical exemption and thus","paragraph_id":"para_89"},{"text":"could not claim that she was unlawfully discharged for ful-","paragraph_id":"para_90"},{"text":"filling a public duty “by willfully disregarding that law.” The","paragraph_id":"para_91"},{"text":"court further concluded that plaintiff had not identified a","paragraph_id":"para_92"},{"text":"job-related right that entitled her to ignore the rule’s man-","paragraph_id":"para_93"},{"text":"date. It also rejected plaintiff’s argument that HIPAA enti-","paragraph_id":"para_94"},{"text":"tled plaintiff to refuse to follow the mandate, because it was","paragraph_id":"para_95"},{"text":"“unsupported by legal authority.”","paragraph_id":"para_96"},{"text":"The court went on to reject a theory that plaintiff","paragraph_id":"para_97"},{"text":"developed late in the proceedings to support her claim for","paragraph_id":"para_98"},{"text":"wrongful discharge:","paragraph_id":"para_99"},{"text":"“Plaintiff now argues that because she worked at home,","paragraph_id":"para_100"},{"text":"she was not required to be vaccinated as her work from","paragraph_id":"para_101"},{"text":"home was exempted from the definition of ‘healthcare set-","paragraph_id":"para_102"},{"text":"ting.’ [WHA] rightly objects to raising this theory outside","paragraph_id":"para_103"},{"text":"of plaintiff’s Complaint, and also argues, nevertheless,","paragraph_id":"para_104"},{"text":"Cite as 345 Or App 168 (2025) 171","paragraph_id":"para_105"},{"text":"that the unchallenged OAR expressly allows healthcare","paragraph_id":"para_106"},{"text":"employers to require more restrictive requirements for","paragraph_id":"para_107"},{"text":"vaccinations. Under that provision, healthcare employers","paragraph_id":"para_108"},{"text":"were authorized to require vaccination of all employees","paragraph_id":"para_109"},{"text":"whether * * * or not they worked in a ‘healthcare setting.’","paragraph_id":"para_110"},{"text":"Again, because plaintiff does not challenge the validity of","paragraph_id":"para_111"},{"text":"[the] legal rule that empowers the defendant’s actions in","paragraph_id":"para_112"},{"text":"this case, she cannot now prevail on a wrongful discharge","paragraph_id":"para_113"},{"text":"claim when defendant exercises the mandates of that rule.”","paragraph_id":"para_114"},{"text":"(Underscore in original; footnotes omitted.)","paragraph_id":"para_115"},{"text":"The trial court correctly granted summary judg-","paragraph_id":"para_116"},{"text":"ment in WHA’s favor. Plaintiff’s argument that the pro-","paragraph_id":"para_117"},{"text":"tections of HIPAA include her disclosure of medical infor-","paragraph_id":"para_118"},{"text":"mation to her employer, and that her invocation of those","paragraph_id":"para_119"},{"text":"protections reflect fulfillment of a public duty or an import-","paragraph_id":"para_120"},{"text":"ant public policy, is incorrect. HIPAA generally precludes","paragraph_id":"para_121"},{"text":"covered entities, including healthcare providers, health","paragraph_id":"para_122"},{"text":"plans, and healthcare clearinghouses, from disclosing pro-","paragraph_id":"para_123"},{"text":"tected health information but expressly allows a covered","paragraph_id":"para_124"},{"text":"entity to disclose information with the consent of the indi-","paragraph_id":"para_125"},{"text":"vidual. 45 CFR §§ 164.104(a), 164.502(a)(1) (2025). HIPAA","paragraph_id":"para_126"},{"text":"does not, as plaintiff contends, prevent the disclosure of her","paragraph_id":"para_127"},{"text":"medical diagnosis to her employer in compliance with the","paragraph_id":"para_128"},{"text":"vaccination mandate (which again, she does not challenge).","paragraph_id":"para_129"},{"text":"Assuming plaintiff could rely on her argument that she was","paragraph_id":"para_130"},{"text":"exempt from the vaccination mandate because she worked","paragraph_id":"para_131"},{"text":"remotely, despite not raising that argument in her com-","paragraph_id":"para_132"},{"text":"plaint, that argument fails on its merits for the reasons that","paragraph_id":"para_133"},{"text":"the trial court explained. See 345 Or App at 170. In short,","paragraph_id":"para_134"},{"text":"having reviewed the record and the trial court’s decision, we","paragraph_id":"para_135"},{"text":"find no error.","paragraph_id":"para_136"},{"text":"Affirmed.","paragraph_id":"para_137"}],"word_count":1068,"cites":[],"cited_by":[],"sha256":"1da438220e85f53c128d6bc613ccc251c5775b67bf0d2a7c3f590b8e3fe95cf4","source_url":"https://ojd.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p17027coll5/id/40534/download","fetched_at":"2026-10-11T06:05:52.072+00:00","canonical":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/ai/judgments/us/orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26","risk_graph":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/risk?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26","relations_graph":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/relations?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26","changes":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/us-praxis/changes","agent":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/us-praxis/agent?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26","verification":{"stored_sha256":"1da438220e85f53c128d6bc613ccc251c5775b67bf0d2a7c3f590b8e3fe95cf4","recomputed_sha256":"1da438220e85f53c128d6bc613ccc251c5775b67bf0d2a7c3f590b8e3fe95cf4","intact":true,"checked_at":"2026-10-18T03:42:02.246Z"}},"hash":"sha256:cff0a617b6be49e91f07dd4fe02479b30ce7aa493a291c1c946e86fd01c8968d","version":"legal-2026-10-18","expires":"2026-10-19T00:00:00.000Z","dependency":{"index_version":"legal-2026-10-18+legal-2026-10-18+2026-10-18T01:46:51","content_hash":"sha256:cff0a617b6be49e91f07dd4fe02479b30ce7aa493a291c1c946e86fd01c8968d","revalidate_after":"2026-10-18T04:42:02.837Z","max_copy_age_seconds":3600,"policy":"revalidate-required; attribution-preferred","changelog":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/dependency","verify":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/verify","stale_copy_invalid":true},"canonical":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26","follow":[{"rel":"risk","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/risk?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26"},{"rel":"relations","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/relations?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26"},{"rel":"agent","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/us-praxis/agent?id=us:orctapp-a185007-2025-11-26"},{"rel":"obligations","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/obligation-chain"},{"rel":"changes","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/whats-new?jurisdiction=us"}],"disclaimer":"Source reference with official identifier. 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