Opinion ID: 419685
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Phillips' and Davis' Search for Interim Employment.

Text: 41 Canova contends that neither Davis nor Phillips diligently sought to mitigate backpay by seeking employment subsequent to their improper discharge. An employer may properly have its backpay liability reduced by a clearly unjustifiable refusal to take desirable new employment on the part of the employee. Phelps Dodge Corp. v. NLRB, 313 U.S. 177, 199-200, 61 S.Ct. 845, 854-855, 85 L.Ed. 1271 (1941). The employee is held, however, only to  'reasonable diligence' in seeking comparable employment, NLRB v. Mercy Peninsula Ambulance Service, 589 F.2d 1014, 1018 (9th Cir.1979), and success is not the measure of sufficiency; only an honest good faith effort is required. Heinrich Motors, Inc. v. NLRB, 403 F.2d 145, 149 (2d Cir.1968) (quoting NLRB v. Cashman Auto Co., 223 F.2d 832, 836 (1st Cir.1955)). 42 Although it appears that Phillips succeeded in finding interim employment only in the third and fourth quarters of 1976 and 1977, he testified that he also signed up with the state unemployment office and on the union out-of-work list and visited the union office weekly seeking work. Further, he testified to a constant search for employment in newspaper ads and personal visits and applications to trucking firms in the area whenever he was not employed. 43 Davis testified that he signed up with the state unemployment office and the union out-of-work list and checked with the union periodically. He also visited and applied at other employers' offices in the area in trucking and other fields and diligently checked the want ads. Davis actually obtained interim work in the first, third and fourth quarters of 1976. In October 1976 he began a part-time job which became full-time in May 1977. Davis held that job for the rest of the backpay period. There is substantial evidence in the record to support a finding that Davis and Phillips diligently sought interim employment.Conclusion 44 Because we find the Board correctly rejected Canova's defenses to the backpay specification, the Board's order is enforced.