James Stephens filed a lawsuit against his former boss Mike Coan, claiming he was fired after Mr. Coan overheard a pocket-dialed conversation between Mr. Stephens and his wife, according to The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
One evening in January 2016, Mr. Stephens had a phone call with Mr. Coan, director of the Georgia Subsequent Injury Trust Fund. After the call ended, Mr. Stephens accidentally called Mr. Coan. Mr. Stephens discussed a number of topics with his wife during the pocket dial, including Mr. Coan's job performance. Considering the comments disrespectful, Mr. Coan said Mr. Stephens could either resign or he would be fired the next day.
Mr. Stephens' lawsuit claims Mr. Coan should have hung up the phone once he realized the call was accidental and not intended for him and that he violated Mr. Stephens' privacy by listening.
"Rather than simply hang up, [Mr. Coan] proceeded to violate Georgia law by intentionally acting in a clandestined manner and listening in to a private conversation between Mr. Stephens and his wife Gina inside the Stephens' private residence," according to the complaint, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is defending Mr. Coan, and he argues the eavesdropping was not illegal because Mr. Coan was acting as a government employee.
"When Mr. Coan heard statements made by [Mr.] Stephens criticizing Mr. Coan's job performance as administrator of the Georgia Subsequent Injury Trust Fund, he did so as an officer or employee of the [fund] acting with the scope of his official duties and employment," Mr. Carr writes, according to The Atlanta Journal Constitution.