Court says company can't fire employee's fiancee

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court says a company can be sued for retaliating against an employee by firing her fiance.

The high court on Monday ruled for Eric Thompson and against North American Stainless.

Thompson's fiancee and now-wife, Miriam Regalado, had alleged that her supervisors at a stainless steel manufacturing plant discriminated against her because of her gender. The company fired Thompson on March 7.

Thompson said he had been fired because of his fiancee's complaint. Federal courts threw out his retaliation lawsuit, saying the law "does not permit a retaliation claim by a plaintiff who did not himself engage in protected activity" by opposing an unlawful employment practice.

Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for a unanimous court that "hurting him was the unlawful act by which the employer punished her."