Case Name: Francis A. HERNANDEZ, Appellant, v. FLORIDA ORTHOPEDICS INC., and Florida Unemployment Appeals Commission, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2003-12-24
Citations: 861 So. 2d 525
Docket Number: No. 3D03-475
Parties: Francis A. HERNANDEZ, Appellant, v. FLORIDA ORTHOPEDICS INC., and Florida Unemployment Appeals Commission, Appellee.
Judges: Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and GERSTEN and GODERICH, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 861
Pages: 525–526

Head Matter:
Francis A. HERNANDEZ, Appellant, v. FLORIDA ORTHOPEDICS INC., and Florida Unemployment Appeals Commission, Appellee.
No. 3D03-475.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
Dec. 24, 2003.
Silverio & Hall, Naples, and Francis X. Sexton, Jr., for appellant.
John D. Maher (Tallahassee), for Unemployment Appeals Commission.
Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and GERSTEN and GODERICH, JJ.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Francis Hernandez ("Hernandez") appeals a Florida Unemployment Appeals Commission's affirmance of an appeals referee's decision 'denying Hernandez unemployment benefits. The basis for the denial of benefits was "misconduct" connected to work. See § 443.036(29), Fla. Stat. (2002). Accepting the findings of fact made by the appeals referee, we conclude although Hernandez's tardiness in reporting to work on several occasions was "more than sufficient cause to justify his termination from his job, it clearly does not rise to the level of 'misconduct' necessary so as to deprive him of unemployment benefits." See Santiago v. Home Depot USA, Inc., 716 So.2d 350 (Fla. 3d DCA 1998).
Accordingly, we reverse the order below.