Opinion ID: 6935739
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: This Court’s Decision in York

Text: While Greer’s appeal of the ALJ’s decision was pending, this Court decided York v. Benefits Review Board, 819 F.2d 134 (6th Cir.1987). In York, we rejected the Sykes standard of rebuttal under (b)(2) and held that an employer cannot rely solely on evidence demonstrating the lack of a totally disabling respiratory impairment, but must prove that the claimant was capable of performing his usual coal mine employment or comparable and gainful employment. Id. at 138. In the case at bar, the Board, in a January 29, 1988 decision, vacated the ALJ’s (b)(2) rebuttal finding, and remanded the case with instructions for further findings under York. Noting that no one had challenged the ALJ’s findings that rebuttal was not established under (b)(1), (b)(3), and (b)(4), the Board affirmed those findings. Peabody filed a motion for reconsideration, arguing that the Board erred in raising (b)(2) sua sponte because Greer did not specifically challenge the (b)(2) rebuttal standard. Peabody also argued that, assuming York did apply, the ALJ must reconsider rebuttal under both (b)(2) and (b)(3) “because the change in the law is so dramatic.” In a May 23,1988 decision, the Board found that it was not precluded from raising (b)(2) sua sponte and that Peabody no longer had the right to challenge the ALJ’s finding of no rebuttal under (b)(3) because Peabody failed to raise the issue in its response brief.