Harden

[Opinion certified for partial publication. [†] ]

OPINION

WHITE, P.J.

This is an action for wrongful termination of employment brought by plaintiff Steven E. Harden against defendants Maybelline Sales Corporation and Maybelline U.S.A. (hereafter Maybelline or defendants). The trial court granted defendants' motion for summary judgment and entered judgment in defendants' favor. We reverse the judgment on the ground that at-will language contained in a standardized, preprinted application for employment may not be the sole basis for rejecting a claim of an implied contract not to terminate except for good cause.

On June 6, 1985, plaintiff was employed as a regional sales trainer with Alberto-Culver Company in Los Angeles. At about that time, a management recruiter employed by Maybelline contacted plaintiff concerning employment with Maybelline. Plaintiff was told that Maybelline was looking for a person with the ability to rise through the ranks, assume greater levels of responsibility and stay with the company for "the long term." Plaintiff met with two Maybelline employees who told plaintiff that the job security and long-term advancement opportunities with Maybelline would be…