Opinion ID: 2276927
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The General Statutory Scheme

Text: The policy established by the Legislature is further supported by an analysis of the legislative history of Title 8 of the Labor and Employment Article in its entirety. Title 8 was derived from Maryland Code (1957, 1985 Repl.Vol., 1990 Cum. Supp.), Article 95A. As we said: The Unemployment Compensation Law of Maryland, intended to supplement the Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.A., Secs. 301-1307, was enacted by the Legislature in 1936 in view of the widespread unemployment caused by the depression. The tax demanded from the employer is an excise tax imposed by the Legislature in the exercise of the police power of the State. The Legislature, in announcing the public policy of the State, declared that protection against unemployment is necessary for the achievement of social security, and that the public good and the general welfare of the citizens of the State required enactment of the measure compelling the setting aside of unemployment reserves to be used for the benefit of persons unemployed through no fault of their own, thereby limiting the serious social consequences of poor relief assistance. Maryland Unemployment Compensation Board v. Albrecht, 183 Md. 87, 89, 36 A.2d 666, 667 (1944) (emphasis added) (citation omitted). Similarly, we stated in Saunders, 188 Md. at 681-82, 53 A.2d at 580-81: Unemployment compensation laws were passed in many, if not all, of the States of the Union following the depression of the early 30's. They were intended to supplement the Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.A. Sec. 301 et seq., and to provide a cushion against unemployment. There is a certain, if not complete, practical uniformity in these statutes and they are modeled after the English statutes. The Maryland Act contains a declaration of public policy which indicates that the Act is a remedial statute to prevent economic insecurity and involuntary unemployment. We have so held. We have also held, as to this statute, that if its language is plain and free of ambiguity and has a definite and sensible meaning, that meaning will be conclusively presumed to be the intent of the Legislature in enacting the statute. The purpose of the statute was to alleviate the consequences of involuntary unemployment. [Citations omitted.] The legislative findings and policy of Title 8 is outlined in section 8-102, which provides: (a) Interpretation and application.  This section is a guide to the interpretation and application of this title. (b) Findings. The General Assembly finds that: (1) economic insecurity due to unemployment is a serious menace to the health, morals, and welfare of the people of the State; (2) involuntary unemployment is a subject of general interest and concern that requires appropriate action by the General Assembly to prevent the spread of involuntary unemployment and to lighten its burden, which often falls with crushing force on the unemployed worker and the family of the unemployed worker; (3) the achievement of security for society requires protection against involuntary unemployment, which is the greatest hazard of our economic lives; and (4) security for society can be provided by encouraging employers to provide more stable employment and by the systematic accumulation of funds during periods of employment to provide benefits for periods of unemployment, maintaining the purchasing power, and limiting the serious social consequences of poor relief assistance. (c) Statement of policy. The General Assembly declares that, in its considered judgment, the public good and the general welfare of the citizens of the State require the enactment of this title, under the police powers of the State, for the compulsory setting aside of unemployment reserves to be used for the benefit of individuals unemployed through no fault of their own. Section 8-102 was derived from Maryland Code (1957, 1985 Repl.Vol., 1990 Cum. Supp.), Article 95A, section 2. Any changes made in the recodification were not intended to be substantive. In fact, with the exception of stylistic changes, the verbiage remains almost identical to Article 95A's original form as then enacted by the General Assembly in 1936. As I have stated, supra, unemployment insurance laws were passed in many, if not all, of the states of the Union following the depression. These laws were intended to supplement the federal Social Security Act and to provide a cushion against unemployment. In keeping with the rationale that unemployment laws were designed to alleviate the burden of involuntary unemployment, it stands to reason that the General Assembly did not want to utilize these laws to punish individuals who quit a job in an attempt to ultimately better their career by taking a better job. This rationale is consistent with the initial intent of Maryland's unemployment insurance laws. I now turn to Maryland case law and I believe that it is in accord with my interpretation of section 8-1001. Paynter, 303 Md. at 37, 491 A.2d at 1193, where we attempted to define good cause: To voluntarily leave employment for good cause, the cause must be one which would reasonably impel the average able-bodied qualified worker to give up his or her employment. .... The applicable standards are the standards of reasonableness as applied to the average man or woman, and not to the supersensitive. [ Uniweld Products, Inc. v. Industrial Rel. Comm'n, Etc., 277 So.2d 827,] 829 [(Fla.App.1973)] (Citations omitted). See also Management Personnel Serv. v. Sandefur, 300 Md. 332, 342, 478 A.2d 310, 315 (1984) (We agree with 14 C.J.S. Cause at 44 (1939), ` just cause implies the existence of facts justifying the action taken, something more than mere wish.' ); Black's Law Dictionary 692-93 (6th ed. 1990) ( `Good cause' for leaving employment, so as not to render one ineligible for unemployment compensation benefits, must be objectively related to the employment and be such cause as would compel a reasonably prudent person to quit under similar circumstances.) This sets an objective rather than subjective standard for determining good cause. See Paynter, 303 Md. at 36-37, 491 A.2d at 1193-94. Clearly, it can be reasonable to suggest that an average able-bodied worker might give up one position in order to receive a substantially higher income in a new position. Moreover, he should be encouraged to do so. Applying this objective standard to a person in appellee's situation, it becomes evident to me that, under the circumstances here present, voluntarily leaving employment for a similar job that pays considerably more amounts to leaving for just cause. [9] As stated, infra, there is a certain, if not complete, practical uniformity in the unemployment insurance statutes amongst the fifty states because they are modeled after the English statutes. Several of our sister states, although some have more specific statutory language, are in accord with the view I here express. [10] Harding v. Industrial Comm'n, 183 Colo. 52, 57, 515 P.2d 95, 97 (1973) ([A] worker who voluntarily separates from a job to accept a better job, as defined by statute, shall be eligible for a full award of benefits in the event of subsequent unemployment....); Kortz v. Industrial Comm'n, 38 Colo.App. 411, 413, 557 P.2d 842, 843 (1976) (holding that an individual separated from a job for the purpose of accepting a better job was entitled to full unemployment benefits); Pugh v. Regal Development Corp., 662 So.2d 1355, 1356 (Fla.App. 1 Dist.1995) (holding that a claimant who left a temporary position for another job that paid more and was more permanent left with good cause); Schafer v. Ada Co. Assessor, 111 Idaho 870, 872, 728 P.2d 394, 396 (1986) (holding that a claimant who leaves a job with a firm offer of employment from another employer has left with good cause); Pazzaglia v. Review Board of Indiana Dep't of Employment and Training Servs., 608 N.E.2d 1375, 1376 (Ind.Ct.App.1993) (discussing Indiana Code 22-4-15-1, which mandates that an individual not be disqualified for unemployment benefits for quitting one job to take a better job, so long as they work at the new job for at least 10 weeks); Loeb v. Employment Appeal Board, 530 N.W.2d 450, 451-52 n. 1 (Iowa 1995) (discussing Iowa Code, section 96.5(1)(a), which mandates that where an individual leaves a job in good faith for the sole purpose of accepting better employment, which the individual did accept and such employment is terminated by the employer ... the individual ... shall be eligible for [unemployment] benefits....); Hackenmiller v. Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe, 415 N.W.2d 432, 434 (1987) (Minn.Stat. Section 268.09, subd. 1(2)(a)(1984) provides an exception to the voluntary quit disqualification where an individual discontinued employment `to accept work offering substantially better conditions of work or substantially higher wages or both.' ); Rider College v. Board of Review, Dep't of Labor & Indus., 167 N.J.Super. 42, 48, 400 A.2d 505, 508, (1979) (holding that leaving a job to accept a substantially more favorable position was leaving with good cause and not a disqualification for unemployment compensation benefits); Young v. Tortilla Flats, 37 Ohio App.3d 41, 41-42, 523 N.E.2d 519, 520 (1987) (holding that pursuant to Ohio Rev.Code Ann., section 4141.29, an individual who resigns from one job to accept a better-paying position constituted a quit with just cause); Mascorro v. Employment Division, 70 Or.App. 531, 535, 689 P.2d 1326, 1328 (1984) (holding that leaving work for an offer of a better job was a potentially valid reason for leaving a job); Top Oil Co. v. Commonwealth Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, 88 Pa.Cmwlth. 336, 340, 488 A.2d 1209, 1211 (1985) (holding that a claimant who leaves his job for any firm offer of employment, without regard to whether it is better employment, has left for good cause); Fisher v. Employment Security Dep't of the State of Washington, 63 Wash.App. 770, 774, 822 P.2d 791, 793 (1992) (Wash.Rev.Code 50.20.050(2)(a) qualifies leaving `work voluntarily without good cause' by excluding a situation where one voluntarily leaves employment to pursue other bona fide work.).