**OFFICE OF**  **THE ATTORNEY**  **GENERAL OF**  **TEXAS**
**AUSTIN**

Honorable Claude A. Williams Chairman and Executive Director Texas Unemployment Compensation Austin, Texas

Dear Slr:

**Your** letter requesting Mona is self-explanatory and re

"1. Under Subssct iole 5221b-4 (b) Vernon Texae; 1925) the inltia
ner results in an benefit periods. **decision** of then reveraee the A

At the time The Commission ws~no benefits. the deolsion no bensilts.

asue the iour remaining y the examiner and the nt having previously filed

"2. Under the same facts stated above, assume‘ that there was no appeal to the court **from** the COmmlselon decision of .'nobenefits.' Would the same answer which you have given to the previous **qUSStiOU** apply to this situation?Honr ClaudeA. Williams,page 9



### '5. Doer the language 0r the laet sentence0r SMion 0 (b) mean that the Cotiarlon (titting ae an appeal body in a benefit oaae) or the court, In an appeal to it In a benefit ease, hae 

### jurisdlotlon, after the granting of benefitsboth by the oxaminer, or deputy,and the Appeal Tribunal, only to doone that no emplo;ler*aaooount ahall be oharged wit&the 'benefit8 80 paid, or **dose** that jurisdiotlon go to the whole ease?

***4.** 3n a situation wherein the examinerhae allowed beneritsand hia deoialonhas been arl'lrmed by the Appeal Tribunal,appeal having been perrooted throughthe Co~iaslon and to. the courts,does the denial oi benefitsby the aourt dlapo8e of all right

. to benefit&i

on the part of the olafmantduring h.ie benefityear aa eet up by the examiner and as defined in the Aot ar Subsection19 (b) [Z)?

"5. Dow your anaww to Question.Ao.4 apply llkew$Sto ruoh~tinaldeofelon of the Gommls~loa denying benefits,no appeal to the courts havfng been taken?
~'0; In a benefit aaee pending rlthln the&mamia~ion the CorPliaaion approve,an,attorney~.afee or #l!& **ior olaimant** * **6 ’**  **attornpy,** proridlm@thiht u\oh~fae.atill~k )iXL&O ii appeal la taken.to'tho OOUrt& **Trial** is had.on appeal to the County: Boa&. bnetitr~to the.plalnatt~ornoy*e

feea,,& of~the reoonzy. Subseotloa'lS- (b) (ArtloleSfSlb-18 **(b** Y. It. C.:b Tar. ,399S) limit the juriadiotlon oiethe oourt $the f&a 0: **attornofr,?** iark ti3 the iiring of an amount approved **b;r** the Commlsrlon,Or do’ they ‘op$rate

only upoa the attorneywlth'riepect to'hle ohargin(l

or reoeiting for hir eervioer

more'than the amount approvedby the Coni*don." Beotiona.(a) and **(b)** of Artiole 52Elb+, Vardon*e Annotat&fairll statutes,**read** as rollowe:

"(a) Iriling:alaims for benefit8 ohall be made In aooordanoe with suoh regulation8 as the Gemmieelon may presoribe. Eaoh employar shall poet md maintain printed statementaof suoh regulationsIn plaoee readily aooeseibleto indirldualdin hlr eervice, and shallmake **available** ta eaoh auuah In+ividual at the time he beoomes unemploye& a printed statementHon. alaud? A. WIlliama,page 3

of such regulations. Suoh printed statementsshall be suppliedby the Commission to each employerwlthou,t ooat to him. '(b) InitialDe$ermlnatlon: A representative designated**by** the.

Cotiission,and hereinafterreferred to as a deputy, shall proaptlyexsmlne the claim and on the basis of the iaota **found** by him shall el&r determinewhettir or not suoh claim ia valid, aid If valid, the date on whioh benefits shall oommenoe the benefit amount payableand the maximum duration thereof, or shall refer suoh olalm or any question Involved therein to an appeal tribunal or to the Commlsalon, whloh shallmake its determinations with reapsot thereto In aooordanoe with the prooedure desoribed linsubsection (0) of this section,exoept that in any oase in whloh the payment or denial of benefit.will be determinedby the provision.of Ssotlon 5 (a) of this Aot the deputy shall promptly transmithis rull finding or faot~wlthrespect to 'that subaeotlonto the C0mmlsslon, whioh on the basis of the evldenoe submlttadand suchadditional evldenoe as it may require, ah&l1 affirm,modify, .orset aside swh $%ndlnga or faot and transmitto the deputy a ;t;plon upon the lsaues involvedunder the subseol The deptttj

shall **prollptly notify**  the olafmant~ and any other lnterea%idparty of the dsolsion and the reason8 therefor: Unless the olaimant or any suoh interestedparty; wIthIn tan (10) calendarday. after the **delivery** of auoh ntitliioatipn, or wlthln twelve (la) oalendar**days** attor l uoh-notliioatfon was mailed to his last known address, tiles and ap' **peal** ,fiamsuch deolalon, suoh deoision shall be final and bena~it. shall be paid or denied In aooordanoe therewith. If an appeal ia duly filed, **benefit8** with respect to then period prior to the final determination or the %mmia.lon.~.hall be paid only after auoh detarmlnatlon rovided, that it in appeal tribunal affirm.a deo or a deputy, or the~Mmmiaslon sf- ?I=. 8 deolsion or an appeal tribunal.allowingbene-' At.; 8uoh benefit. shall be paid regardlessor any vpeal whioh may thereafter be taken. but if!su0h 6 olslon 1. rinal1.y

reversed,no employer's ao69unt .iil be ohargedwith benefits SO paid." (Undersootifng Our.)Ron. ClaudeA. aillfaas,page 4

Tha above provisionprovides that when the Appeal Tribunalaffirms the daoialon of the deputywhich allow. benefits, that auoh benatlts shall be paid r.gardlaaaof any appaal whloh may theraatter be taken. This provisionundoubtedly was plaoed In the Unemployment dot to insure th. paymen‘t of bsnafits to an ilrdlvldual with **but** a minlmum of delay.
The Supram. aourt or ~allfornla Diaou.aa. a a;imllar provlalonof tha California Unamploymant

Aot-in the oaae of **,Aballaria et**  al vs. Dintriot Court of Appeal, lW! P. (24) 589, (109 P. (2d) 948) as follow.:

*The fourth anaweg t. more fundamental; tha mandate oontraveneathe &pr.a. provldon of &action 67 that *if a refaree affirm. an Initial.**detsnnlna** tlon allowingbenatlts, auoh benefit. shall be paid fe$~d+r.a of any appaal whloh may theraart?rbe taken

Thi. ls'one 0r the moat signirioant atatementa*in the sot. In aubatanoeit provides that when the Initial detonainatlon ha. been reviewedand apprivad by the intermadi+te appellate authority (the refere.),no furthor delay in payment shall b. **per** mitted even though tha l.au.. may.bo.still rurther oonaidaredin a 

### l

ubaaquantappaal. It w.. dealgned to oarry out the polioy deolared ln..ooti'on 1 of alleviating the evil. f+unamployment, a. part of a nationalplan or alolal aaourity.in whloh~f'adaral and state legia&ationla oouplad. 980. le. The vary eaaeno. of th. lot is **its** provisionfor.tho praa&pt payment of benefits t@ thobe unamployed. Se., 88 Univ. Pa. L. Rev,'

157, 139. Any substantial **delay** would defeat this p&po.. and would brln baak tha very evil sought to be avoldad. Tha leg 

### l lature, f recognizingtha lmportanoeon the one hand of avolding improvldant

payment.without du. oonaldaration of th. rl ht thereto,and the danger on the othar hand or- wf

thholding~~tha.paymeata **ior** long periods through the slow prooeaa.. of appeal to the ocomiaslon and perhaps eventuallyto the oeurta, **took a**  middle oourae. It provided for a preliminary**appeal** or ravlaw of the first datarmlnatlon **wham** payment8 were ordered. This appeal, ordlnarlly deoldad in a abort period or **tima oarriaa**  with it **a day.**  **But** whan this aeoond daoisionhas also been made in favor of the applicants, the~benafita begin, with proteo-

. . tlon, a. already hoted, for $ha employerin the evant or later revereal.*Eon. Wmde A. Willlama,, page 5

Seotiona (h) and (I) of Artiolo &?W,lb-4, Vernon’s Annotated clvll Statutes,pmvie08 *a r0ii0n8:

suob **~~eo~aloh** and m&y-be representedin any auoh ju- .#loial aotlon by &my q&allfledattorneywho ie,a regu**lar salaried**  amployee of the C.ommisaion and has bien designated

and appointedfor that purpose~bpthe **At** torneyg t3enoral

of Taxaa. “(I) aourt &vii;rr within ten (i0) dayr ‘aftar the eeoiaionof ‘tha,Coknlaalon haa **bebome** ,rlnal any party’aggrlev~d,

theMby rag aeoure jtidl?ial &ew thereofby ooprmen~i petant “‘p, an notion in anp- **ooust** 0f,,mmjrirf8diOtlo~ n the oounty of ela&nt*B seai1

. . dmoe against the O.omiauionfor the r?,mw’+ it8 **dooision,** In which a6tioh. any qther p&&y t6~ the pro**oeedin** ant. ii

before‘-the’:.~Doaaiaaion ,&all be Mae a ,drfimduoh trial **sh&l.l** be de **noyo.** In .auoh aotlon, a petitionwhldh neid .not Abe verlrled,~

but rhioh ahall atata the groqda ,upon whioh a revlaw **.is~** sought, shall be-m&d. upon **a** member of the **Comm~aaion** or ~uponauoh **parson** a0 the CoPeiirtiioh may designateand such aervi ioe ahall ba deemed’ oompleted servioe on all partier, but there shall be Iett with the party ao served as many ooplea of the petition ae there are defendants and the Coaaiaalon@all forthwlth~11 one euoh oopy to ,eaoh l

uoh e8fsneant. Suoh action shall **be** given preoedenoeover all other 01~11 oases exoept oases arifling

under the Worlrmen~a Compansation

&IW of **this** &ate. An appealmay be taken from.the decision of the trial oourt, in the same manner, **a8** is provided In other air11 **oases,** It shall not be neoeaaary, in, any judlolalprooeadlng,under ~thl& aaotlon, to enter exosptlonato the rulings of the ~onsnlaaion and no

_ _ _ _-_ _ .- bona’ ahell be requlredfor entering such appeal. E the final **determination** of iuoh judloialprooeeding %be Commlsalonshall enter an **order** in aooordanoew th 1 suoh BetermlnatLon. **A** petition for jtidloial review ahell not act as-

a superse4eas;R (Underscoring oura)Hon. ClaudeA. Williams,pago 6

The provlrlonof &&ion (b), quoted above,, whiah provide8 that when the Appeal Tribunal ha8 affirmod,tho deputy'8 declsld~'aIrarding

beneflt8, they shouldbe paid regardlo, of any appeal, oont8mplato8 that tha individualis elfgib&oand qualifiedto rocelro auoh bane&its. we find nothfng'inth8 **Act** which lndlcata8 that the Appeal Tribunal**tiading 18 final on the llurltr

of the olaim. To.the contrary,th4'v'hriou8qt$oted provlrionrof Art1018 SSSlb4 indicate8 tjo ,u#that thr Appeal Trlbunal'aaffirmanoo &the deputy*8drolslon~o@.~inmum8 the qlalmantrodoiringbmoilt8 pending a final deolrion on the que8tionby the Godraion or the court on the nerltr.

3n anewer to your flrrrt and 8ooond quortlon8, we are pi the opinion that th? Commlsdoa la hot authorizedto i88u0 benefit oheoka **,rubrrquent** to a dsolalon **of** the Cdrrion or the jud#a&i%of a ooa&t denyingbenefit.8, ihen said~dooidon or judgwnt i8 final ofi the .rerit6.

In anawot t&your third~queatlon it'foUow8, Ra what we hare horetoto2m**mald,** that the dacfdon of the-O-18- 8lon~or jud@nentOf *hi court goes to th8 merit& 02 the entire ca8e.

In anawerlagyour fourth and firth,quertiotie; we point out t@t sibtioa (i) .oiIrtlola SSSlb4, rnpra,preyldar, that wupon th6~iinaldetmmlnation of 8~ch.judiolal proae$dlng, the Ccmmlsrion~

rhall enter.an~ ardor in aooordanoe with ,&aoh

&&OrBlnation.* (

8qotion [@ of dztlole S%?Jb-S prorldoma? tollow~

&otatining tha numbor of boner it perwhiah any l,~dlvidual-I8 entitled to ro**in a,bmWit**  **par** the Comleaion *hail daduot any l

rlod oi .dG uallfio~tlon a8 provided in

~u@I&%o~ a)

s (b) and

;P ,' 0) of thin Section from the tothl numbor of bonoiit period8 during whloh'h8.would othorwl8o**be** entitledto reoolvrbenrfitr rxorpt.tor aaoh dlrquallfioatlon;~provldad, that fn:no &a!+ rhall the ‘arnbrr oi ~anef$t,$eriodr ro.deductgdoxoied 'the numbor ot~b8nefit

porioda ola#zie& I8 then 

### l llgiblo to reoq%ye ror ~8uoh'dluquallflcatloa.* ,i

seotlosi (bj(8j~

of ArUe Sl2lb-17 proride~r ae fallowa:

. I- :Hon. ClaudeA. wi1118Dk8, P.&a 7

"(2) 'B4naflty4ar,* rith raepact to any fndiridtul, 11.4118 th. fifty-two-O.Sm..utiV.-weak pariod b.(lianfa~ with the day an wbloh the firat velid alaim fer hen*

flt8 i8 fihd and fharaaftar the iift~rtWCW06DB..bltlra-w44kperiod bo$lnaiag with tha day On whioh hla nest valid ala&i for banaritm ia filed after the termination of his lamt praaadingbenarltyear.*
The Unamployment

Act provides that en eligiblam(ll~ ployad tndivldualia l ntitlad to banefit for a certain numbor Of benaiit pSriO48 Within a benefit year nlll.88 **dt8qtraliii.d.** By reamon ot.tb **saotionr** of the three above quoted**,atetuta.** it maem clear that a dl8quallrfoation by tha Commlsaionor a oourt of an indlrldual to receive~bq4fitB during.thebanatit &34riOd8

Of hi8 banarit y48r diEpOE. Of all right8 Of th.~i.ndividnal **to raoelva**  **any baneiitm**  during that~beneflt year. Thea anawara your fourth and fifth quaatlons.

In an8w.r to your 8ixth question, we quot. rroa S4etion (b) of Artlola S22lb-19,Vernon'sAnnotated civil Statut~am, 6tB rOiiCW8:

“(b) Lislitition

of r4481 No individualoleirin6 banatitm 8h8ll ,ba@nwgad team ot,aay klnd ,in any pro.q.diaag,untj.r th%B,AOtby the l%3ml$88$On Or ,itB ; rapramantatlvem

or;b .~~y oourt or anyoifiobr thereof. Auy lnaividuql cla & ban4fltm in aay,prooaadlng befew **tha Coti~84ion**  **or a**  **coprt rhny**  **ba prammtah**  'by a osun~al or,,t)taqr eIvy author1e.d .',,nt~ but 50 rd$ mob OOiia84~

or. kg49t.B

:Bh411 aithar, 0hfi~~O~o~~~4ceiT4
ror muoh iirvlo48j,*dt4 than an amount approV4dby t&4 1 ~O%Eii08iOll,

~& *tiEan Who riOl.xt48 CUiy pT4T18iOn ot this wb8.Oti.n 8h.ll iOr..Wh muoh .fiin#q;b4 iin4d not 1.88 than Fii$y than fir4 Hundrifl'( ii ,#$O.QO)

~01&8rB, no= m.rk
iOr not 1er4 @Ul 8 aQ..oo 1 DollaM, or impt18~lud
l c4Fill$ 4UN, (6) u)athm, 0: b4t&r ~(wTh4 l bov. l $at8to,olaarly

prorldes that'ao attorney OaR OhaL% **Or WU.Ot,**  **fOlc ~ti,F**  **84lTi4. .D**  **.EOdUt lOr4.**  **thsn th.t**  approv4dby th. ~srmi841OIl, Tti,B pXOV%Bio~,appli.8 ,inthorn. a~848 wh4r4 an in(uflUSl ii 84rkia(r **banefit&** Silia4

th4 X&- 181titW.ha8 B~Oit1.811;~ehtir~ad 'the~ORBiBBiOn~dth the p4w.r **Sf r.~ati~**  **th0 f4QB**  **Of.8 ttb~.yB,**  **R.** OaIU&Ot 84. any **beEi iOr**  **the -0OtWt**  **BUbm%iftUt$ng it8**  jud&int for that Of the 00r mi881011.Eon. ClaudeA. William, Page 5

In order Bo give aiiaot to Section (b) of Article 5221~1s l

upra, wo anmwar your sixth questionby maying that we are ,Oith4 Opinion that tha OOtWt ha8 jUri8diOtion to alb&attOrnrJ f448 only iI the aPOUnt approve+by the CdB-

.

YOU'8 V.4 tNly

APPROVBJJ

MARaH 5, 1942 ATTORNEY GEWBFUL OF TBXA2

/a/ GrovarS4llars
lT53sl! ASSISTABT ATTORIOEY

GBWRRAL

.