Montana Worker Files Wrongful Discharge Lawsuit Against McDonald's Franchisee

Amy Morgan filed a civil wrongful discharge lawsuit against JP2LLC, the franchisee operating a McDonald's in Montana, just four days ago in Yellowstone County District Court.

The complaint, docketed as DV-56-2026-0000338-WS, names JP2LLC doing business as McDonald's as the sole defendant. The case was filed March 6, 2026, making it one of the most recent employment actions to hit a McDonald's operator in the region.

Wrongful discharge claims in Montana carry particular weight because the state has one of the country's most employee-friendly wrongful termination statutes. Unlike most U.S. states, where employment is generally at-will, Montana's Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act gives workers who have completed a probationary period the right to sue if they are fired without good cause. That legal framework gives plaintiffs like Morgan a meaningful avenue to challenge terminations that might not be actionable elsewhere in the country.

The case highlights the legal exposure that franchise operators carry independent of the McDonald's corporate brand. JP2LLC, as the employer of record, bears direct liability in the dispute rather than McDonald's parent corporation, a distinction that frequently shapes litigation strategy and settlement dynamics in franchise employment cases.

The lawsuit is in its earliest stages, with no ruling or settlement on record. Court filings in Yellowstone County will determine the next procedural steps as the case moves forward.