Opinion ID: 1387661
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The Commission's Findings of Fact Were Supported by Substantial Competent Evidence.

Text: The opinion of the Commission reflects a consideration of the evidence concerning Hunnicutt's failure to attain the productivity standard as well as the evidence of Hunnicutt's long experience, extensive knowledge, good relations with clientele, and good quality of work on audits. The judgment of the Commission was that (1) the former was a problem not attributable to slothfulness and was not irreversible, and (2) the latter was of greater significance in evaluating whether Hunnicutt was inefficient or incompetent in the performance of his duties. The Commission concluded that proper cause to discharge Hunnicutt did not exist. In light of the record viewed as a whole, we hold that substantial competent evidence supports these findings. It is not for us to determine the weight of evidence de novo; rather we must affirm the Commission if substantial competent evidence exists to support its decision. As Justice Bakes has explained, where conflicting testimony could support the Commission's decision either to find that the employee was discharged for cause or to find that the employee was not discharged for cause, the findings of fact of the Commission are based upon substantial competent evidence and do not as a matter of law fail to support the Commission's decision and order. Swisher, supra, 98 Idaho at 570, 569 P.2d at 915. Even if the record was expunged of those evidentiary matters which the ISIF contends to have been wrongly considered  the exhibits and the job description  the Commission still had before it other substantial evidence to support its findings, much of which was supplied by the ISIF itself through the testimony of its officers and the statements and stipulations of its counsel.