Case Name: Henrietta BENWARD v. Joseph GERACE, Administrator of the Louisiana Department of Employment Security and Orleans Parish School Board
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1979-04-10
Citations: 370 So. 2d 660
Docket Number: No. 10010
Parties: Henrietta BENWARD v. Joseph GERACE, Administrator of the Louisiana Department of Employment Security and Orleans Parish School Board.
Judges: Before REDMANN, BOUTALL and SCHOTT, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 370
Pages: 660–665

Head Matter:
Henrietta BENWARD v. Joseph GERACE, Administrator of the Louisiana Department of Employment Security and Orleans Parish School Board.
No. 10010.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.
April 10, 1979.
Henrietta Benward, in pro. per.
James A. McGraw, Baton Rouge, for defendants-appellees.
Before REDMANN, BOUTALL and SCHOTT, JJ.

Opinion:
BOUTALL, Judge.
This is an appeal from a decision of the Louisiana Department of Employment Security denying unemployment compensation benefits.
Henrietta Benward, appellant, was retired from her position as a school teacher on May 28, 1976 because she had reached the age of 65. She applied for unemployment benefits on May 30,1976. The Louisiana Department of Employment Security determined that appellant was not entitled to benefits and an appeal was taken. Both the Louisiana Board of Review and Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans affirmed the denial of benefits. Mrs. Ben-ward now appeals to this court.
The denial of benefits was based upon a questionnaire filled out by government employees upon retirement. In this document, appellant stated that she would only be available for volunteer work on a part-time basis. This questionnaire was signed by appellant and is part of the record in this case. She also signed a form for the agency on August 31, 1976 on which she stated: "I am able and available for summer employment, I did not seek employment because no one will hire anyone over 65 years of age."
Benefits were denied pursuant to Louisiana Revised Statute 23:1600 which provides:
"An unemployed individual shall be eligible to receive benefits with respect to any week only if the administrator finds that:

"(3) He is able to work, and is available for work."
The agency found that appellant was, by her own admission, not available for work within the wording of the statute. At the hearing before the appeals' referee, Mrs. Benward testified that she did seek work during the summer of 1976 and that she really wanted full time work, both in conflict with her signed statements. She did admit having signed the statements, however. No other evidence or testimony was introduced at the hearing.
Findings of the Board of Review as to facts are conclusive if supported by sufficient evidence and in the absence of fraud. Louisiana Revised Statute 23:1634. The Board's decision resolving the conflict between the testimony of appellant and the signed documents in favor of the documents is supported by sufficient evidence since the documents are present in the record. Further, we agree with the finding that appellant was not "available for work" within the meaning of R.S. 23:1600. A claimant cannot arbitrarily remove herself from available work by restricting her willingness to certain hours or conditions not usual or customary in the occupation. See Lykes Bros. Steamship Company v. Doyal, 338 So.2d 594 (La.1976).
For these reasons, the denial of benefits is affirmed.
AFFIRMED.