Opinion ID: 2538241
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Events After June 6, 2002.

Text: After determining that Oxley had received a sanction for her activities prior to June 6, the Commission then considered any acts of insubordination occurring after June 6, stating: the Employer cannot `hold in its pocket' forever the basis of such a discharge and then issue such a discharge merely at its pleasure. Employers cannot use a form of discipline short of discharge for a behavior, and then later discharge the worker for the same behavior unless the employer can demonstrate a subsequent occurrence. Medicine Rock argues any subsequent misconduct is irrelevant and urges the Court to focus instead on the entire course of Oxley's conduct. Medicine Rock cites to the cases of Roll v. City of Middleton, 105 Idaho 22, 665 P.2d 721 (1983), Harrelson v. Pine Crest Psychiatric Ctr., 107 Idaho 119, 686 P.2d 64 (1984), and Weston v. Gritman Memorial Hospital, 99 Idaho 717, 587 P.2d 1252 (1978), which hold that this Court can consider a course of conduct instead of a single event, and there is no requirement there be a precipitating act of misconduct immediately prior to the termination. Roll, 105 Idaho at 26, 665 P.2d at 725. Medicine Rock reasons that Oxley's numerous acts of misconduct are sufficient to justify discharge without a precipitating event after June 6. However, in these cases the employers gave written warnings, which the employees disregarded, and the Commission focused on subsequent violations because the course of conduct included disregarding warnings. This case is distinguishable because Mazon did not give Oxley any formal warnings prior to June 6 and Oxley did not repeatedly violate warnings. While Oxley's misconduct occurred over a long period, Mazon chose not to terminate her employment. Instead, Mazon formally warned Oxley and thereby provided her with an opportunity to improve her behavior. It follows that a subsequent act of misconduct would be necessary before Medicine Rock could discharge Oxley. Instead, when Mazon sent the next warning on June 10, 2002, he referred only to behavior occurring on June 5 and 6 for which he had already warned Oxley. Moreover, as the Commission found, there is no evidence that Oxley even received this second warning until after she had already been terminated. Medicine Rock argues Oxley's failure to report for work on June 10 and tardy notification amounted to a subsequent act of misconduct and justified Oxley's discharge on June 20. The Commission agreed that failing to report for work amounts to misconduct: Mazon was entitled to be upset when [Oxley] did not call in to tell him that she would be absent on June 10, 2002. Clearly, [Oxley] knew on June 7, 2002, that her doctor had deemed it necessary to restrict her from going to work and a prudent employee would have communicated that information to her employer that same day ... Further, the reason for the absence was written on the note by [Oxley], rather than the physician, calling into question the gaminess of [Oxley's] excuse. This behavior alone would have justified additional inquiry and discipline, including [] discharge. (emphasis added). It appears Mazon could have discharged Oxley on June 10, but instead Mazon sent Oxley the second warning and did not actually discharge Oxley until June 20. Oxley received the June 10 warning when she returned from vacation in July. When an employer warns an employee it follows that the employee should have an opportunity to improve their behavior. However, Oxley could not take advantage of any opportunity since she never returned to work after June 10. As a result, no subsequent act of misconduct occurred for which Mazon could discharge Oxley, other than her failure to report to work. Mazon did not include Oxley's failure to report for work as a reason for discharge in the June 20 termination letter either. The June 20 termination letter again listed the same transgressions noted in the June 6 warning and additionally cited theft as a reason for discharge. Mazon never mentions Oxley's failure to report for work as a reason for discharging Oxley and therefore Mazon cannot now use failure to report for work as a reason for discharging her on the basis of misconduct. In summary, Mazon could expect Oxley to cooperate and act respectfully, but Mazon failed to inform Oxley her behavior fell below expected standards. As a result, Mazon's formal warning on June 6 served as discipline for all of Oxley's prior transgressions. Further, while Mazon could have discharged Oxley for failing to report for work on June 10, he chose to discipline Oxley by sending a second warning, which didn't mention her failure to appear for work. Finally, Mazon terminated Oxley while she was on an authorized absence from work, before she had an opportunity to conform her conduct to Mazon's expected standards. Thus, the Commission was correct in its holding that Oxley was not terminated for employment related misconduct in failing to adhere to the employer's reasonable standards of behavior.