39-2-802. Protection of discharged employees. If a person, after having discharged an employee from service, prevents or attempts to prevent, by word or writing of any kind, the discharged employee from obtaining employment with any other person, the discharging person is punishable as provided in 39-2-804 and is liable in punitive damages to the discharged person, to be recovered by civil action. A person is not prohibited from informing by word or writing any person to whom the discharged person or employee has applied for employment a truthful statement of the reason for discharge.