Opinion ID: 1822704
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: due process & substantial evidence

Text: ¶ 132. The majority opinion concludes by rejecting Crystal Lake's contention that LIRC improperly reached its decision by failing to confer with the ALJ regarding evidence submitted before the ALJ. The majority states that LIRC's findings did not hinge on issues of witness credibility, and therefore LIRC was not required to consult with the ALJ. Majority op. ¶¶ 4, 54. ¶ 133. The majority errs, however, in suggesting that the only element of credibility at issue was that of Crystal Lake's operations manager, Phillip Robertson, regarding the cost of constructing a wheelchair-accessible bathroom. This is incomplete. The credibility assessments required for LIRC to reach its conclusions involved other matters. Of primary importance are the conflicting findings regarding the frequency by which Catlin had performed the job responsibilities that she could not perform after her accident. LIRC's factual findings regarding which job responsibilities the complainant could or could not perform after her accident, even with physical accommodation, were based almost completely on testimony from the complainant. See majority op., ¶ 63 (Catlin felt that she would be able to perform most tasks that were part of her job with little or no accommodation.). From this, LIRC concludes that Catlin could perform most of her duties. See majority op., ¶ 63. ¶ 134. The problem is that this ultimately dispositive factual finding, which is of questionable reliability and is based on credibility assessments, is then applied to LIRC's new and incorrect interpretation of § 111.34. It is telling that even the majority seems tentative on this conclusion, stating Crystal Lake could have accommodated Catlin's disability [] by modifying her responsibilities. This is an accommodation, we hold, that appears to be reasonable under the circumstances and within the purview of the WFEA. Majority op., ¶ 78 (emphasis added). ¶ 135. Even if LIRC's interpretation of § 111.34 were correct, the ALJ based his assessment not solely upon an adoption of Crystal Lake's theory of law, but also on his findings that the job duties that Catlin could not now perform were ones she used to do regularly. Therefore, LIRC needed to consult with the ALJ to determine the basis upon which it reached a different factual conclusion on this matter. [10] See Hermax Carpet Marts v. LIRC, 220 Wis. 2d 611, 617, 583 N.W.2d 662 (Ct. App. 1998); Hoell v. LIRC, 186 Wis. 2d 603, 614, 522 N.W.2d 234 (Ct. App. 1994). Again, even under LIRC's interpretation of § 111.34, this factual determination was critical. Furthermore, Catlin, LIRC, and the majority have each relied on testimony from Catlin's mother and sister, who happen to be two of the three other employees in the wholesale department, who claimed that they could pick up the slack and cover Catlin's job duties as needed. Majority op., ¶ 29. The credibility of these statements is also at issue. ¶ 136. These findings, it seems to me, are undoubtedly based on credibility assessments. Therefore, I disagree that it was permissible for LIRC to reach factual conclusions without having conferred with the administrative law judge, whom LIRC ultimately reversed. At a minimum, this case should be remanded so that LIRC can be required to consult with the ALJ and to determine why LIRC and its administrative law counterpart reached two different assessments regarding the nature of the duties Catlin could and could not do and to determine if the ALJ's conclusion was based on more than merely an adoption of a different rule of law.