Opinion ID: 874546
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Was Cox Denied Due Process of Law?

Text: Cox contends that several irregularities deprived her of due process because she did not have the opportunity to be heard at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner. First, she argues that prior to the hearing she was not advised of how her employer had calculated her wages and tips. Prior to the hearing, Cox was provided with copies of all of the exhibits admitted during the hearing, including Exhibit 6 which showed her employer's calculations. At the beginning of the hearing, she stated she had no objection to them being admitted into evidence. She testified that the employer's figures seemed a little high to her, but she admitted that she did not keep any written records of her wages and tips. She simply tried to keep a running total in her head. Cox was paid every other week, and the Pub's business manager testified that the Pub's pay period did not correspond to the weekly reporting periods required by the Department. As a result, the amounts shown on Cox's paychecks would not coincide with the weekly wages and tips that the Pub reported to the Department. Cox did not testify that she used her paychecks to make her weekly reports to the Department, and she could not have done so. She had to report weekly but she was paid every other week. In addition, the eighteen weeks that she underreported her income included twelve consecutive weeks. The difference between her reporting period and her pay period would not explain twelve consecutive weeks of underreporting. Nevertheless, Cox did not request more time to prepare for the hearing. Cox asserts that she may not have been adequately advised of the issues to be determined by the appeals examiner. She argues on appeal that the documents served upon her could be read as charging her with fraud, rather than the lesser willful standard. The written notice of hearing stated: This hearing is to determine (1) whether the claimant willfully made a false statement or representation or willfully failed to report a material fact in order to obtain unemployment insurance benefits, according to § 72-1366(12) of the Idaho Employment Security Law; and (2) whether the claimant has received benefits to which s/he was not entitled, and if so, whether the requirement to repay benefits owed to the Employment Security Fund may be waived, according to § 72-1369(5) of the Idaho Employment Security Law. The only mention of fraud was in another document she was sent entitled Important Information About Your Hearing, Read Carefully. The last paragraph of that two-page document had a paragraph entitled Fraud, which advised that there was a criminal statute making misrepresentation to obtain benefits a felony. There is nothing in the record indicating that Cox believed she was charged with that felony, or that she was charged with fraud. There is nothing in the record showing that she was in any way confused or inadequately advised by the notice of hearing. Cox also claims that she was not given adequate opportunity to present testimony and evidence on her behalf. Prior to the hearing, she was provided with copies of the exhibits that were offered. She stated that she had received them and had no objection to any of them. Cox did not offer any exhibits of her own at the hearing. The appeals examiner questioned Cox first, and neither the claims investigator nor the Pub's business manager had any questions. The appeals examiner then questioned the Pub's business manager. When she was done, both the claims investigator and Cox declined to ask any questions. The claims investigator was the last witness. After the appeals examiner had questioned her, Cox declined to ask any questions. Then the appeals examiner asked, Jennifer Cox, would you like to make a final statement for the record? Cox did so, reiterating that she had reported her earnings to the best of her ability. There is nothing in the record indicating that Cox had additional information that she wanted to present. Assuming that any of the above constitutes irregularities, Cox did not raise the issue below. This Court generally will not consider constitutional issues that have been raised for the first time on appeal. Buffington v. Potlatch Corp., 125 Idaho 837, 840, 875 P.2d 934, 937 (1994). Therefore, we will not address whether any of the above alleged irregularities could constitute the denial of due process had it been raised and proven. Finally, Cox alleges she was denied due process of law during the appeal from the claims examiner to the Industrial Commission. Cox filed her notice of appeal on January 23, 2006, alleging four issues: (1) The employer did not properly calculate and report Cox's wages; (2) Cox did not willfully make a false statement or fail to report a material fact; (3) the amount of the alleged discrepancy was not sufficient to show willful action; and (4) the appeals examiner erred in affirming the eligibility determination and denying Cox a waiver of the penalty. Cox did not submit anything in support of the appeal. Her attorney was apparently waiting for a written transcript of the hearing, not realizing that only an audio tape of the hearing would be used for the appeal. The record indicates that a copy of the audio tape was mailed to Cox's counsel on January 26, 2006. Idaho Code § 72-1368(7) provides, The record before the commission shall consist of the record of proceedings before the appeals examiner, unless it appears to the commission that the interests of justice require that the interested parties be permitted to present additional evidence. Neither party requested a hearing before the Industrial Commission to present additional evidence, and based upon the record the Commission found that the interests of justice did not require a new hearing. On February 23, 2006, the Industrial Commission issued its decision and order on appeal based upon its de novo review of the record. On March 14, 2006, Cox's counsel filed a motion for reconsideration and a request for a hearing on the merits of the appeal. In support of the motion, Cox's counsel simply re-alleged the four issues stated in the notice of appeal. In the cover letter, Cox's counsel stated that he had not received transcripts of the hearing as required by Rule 3(F) of the Rules of Appellate Practice and Procedure. That Rule does not require a transcript of the hearing. It requires the Commission to prepare and serve upon the parties a copy of the tape recording of the appeals examiner's hearing and provides that [t]he form of the copy, either audio tape or paper transcript, will be at the discretion of the Commission. By order entered May 2, 2006, the Commission denied the motion for reconsideration and the motion for a new hearing. It held that the four conclusory statements were not sufficient to merit either a reconsideration or a new hearing. On May 22, 2006, Cox's counsel filed a second motion for reconsideration and a request for a new hearing. It restated as grounds the four issues stated in the notice of appeal and first motion for reconsideration. The Commission dismissed it on June 1, 2006, on the ground that its rules did not provide for a second reconsideration and the decision of May 2, 2006, remains the final order in the case. Cox asserts on appeal that the short time frames mandated by federal law for these appeals should require the Commission to provide a `paper transcript' of the Appeals Examiner's Hearing and serve notice on `all interested parties' by way of `Notice of Service of Transcript of Hearing.' Cox does not present any argument or authority to support that assertion. We will not consider issues cited on appeal that are not supported by propositions of law, authority, or argument. Callaghan v. Callaghan, 142 Idaho 185, 190, 125 P.3d 1061, 1066 (2005). Cox's counsel also indirectly asserts that he did not receive a copy of the audio tape of the hearing before the appeals examiner. He does not state that he did not receive the audio tape. Rather, he relies upon a statement by opposing counsel in a letter she wrote on May 25, 2006, to the Industrial Commission stating that she had no objection to the matter being reconsidered on the merits. In that letter, she stated that several weeks earlier Cox's counsel had called and said he had not yet received the transcript of the hearing. She then looked in her file and told him she had an audio tape of the hearing and it did not appear that a transcript was being prepared. She described his response as follows: He indicated he had not received the tape. He said he was not aware he was supposed to have received a tape until I pointed out the language of the certificate of service dated January 26, 2006, which indicated that a copy of the notice of appeal and tape had been mailed to him. Cox did not raise the alleged failure to receive a copy of the audio tape before the Industrial Commission in either of her motions for reconsideration. Assuming that Cox did not receive a copy of the audio tape, she has not shown any prejudice. Prior to the Commission issuing its decision, Cox did not request a new hearing to present additional evidence. When she did make that request along with her motion for reconsideration of the Commission's decision, she did not present or allege anything that would justify a new hearing. There is no indication she had additional evidence to present. After asking the Commission to reconsider its decision, she merely added, Claimant Requests a Hearing on the Motion for Reconsideration and on the Merits of the Appeal. Her motion did not even allege that the interests of justice required a new hearing. She does not argue on appeal that the Commission erred in failing to grant her request for a new hearing. Thus, this appeal is from the Commission's decision based upon its de novo review of the record. For the purposes of this appeal, Cox has a written transcript of the hearing testimony. She has not shown how her alleged lack of an audio tape of the hearing in any way impacts this appeal.