Stephanie L. Elliot appeals the dismissal with prejudice of her complaint against Carl H. Winslow, Jr., P.A., to recover unpaid wages. We reverse because, under our controlling precedent, the statute of frauds does not bar enforcement of an employment agreement for an indefinite period.
Elliot sued Winslow, a practicing attorney, alleging that he employed her to prepare personal injury lawsuit files for him. Elliot claimed that she left Winslow’s employ after a confrontation ensued over her salary and that, at the time of her disengagement, Winslow owed her $22,412 in salary and bonuses pursuant to their employment agreement. The trial court granted Winslow’s motion for judgment on the pleadings and dismissed the complaint based on the statute of frauds defense that Winslow raised in his answer.
The statute of frauds provides, in pertinent part, that “[n]o action shall be brought ... upon any agreement that is not to be performed within the space of 1 year ... unless the agreement ... or some note or memorandum thereof shall be in writing and signed by the party to be charged therewith.... ” § 725.01, Fla. Stat. (1997). In Gulf Solar, Inc. v. Westfall,
While the parties may have expected Westfall to remain with Gulf Solar for some unknown period of time, Gulf Solar had no obligation to retain Westfall’s services and Westfall had no obligation to remain in Gulf Solar’s employment for any definite time period. Apparently, Westfall would be retained by Gulf Solar for as long as his performance merited his retention in the view of Gulf Solar.
Id. at 365.
This reasoning was followed by the Fourth District in Byam v. Klopcich,
Such a contract is not within the Statute of Frauds because nothing indicates that the contract was other than a contract for an indefinite period. To construe the contract otherwise would be tantamount to permitting a person, in good faith reliance upon another’s promise to pay, to work for almost a full year without compensation for his labor.
*610 The general rule is that an oral contract for an indefinite time is not barred by the Statute of Frauds. Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 130, comment (a) (1981); Yates v. Ball,132 Fla. 132 ,181 So. 341 (1937). Only if a contract could not possibly be performed within one year would it fall within the statute. Yates; Gulf Solar.
Id. at 721; see also Hesston Corp. v. Roche,
Accordingly, we reverse the trial court’s order dismissing the complaint and remand for further proceedings.
Reversed and remanded.
