Court Opinion

ID: 9371983
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-17 15:04:19.10681+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:31.608087
License: Public Domain

RENDERED: FEBRUARY 10, 2023; 10:00 A.M.
                       NOT TO BE PUBLISHED

                Commonwealth of Kentucky
                          Court of Appeals

                             NO. 2022-CA-0269-MR

COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY,
KENTUCKY UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE COMMISSION                                               APPELLANT

                  APPEAL FROM BOYD CIRCUIT COURT
v.              HONORABLE GEORGE W. DAVIS, III, JUDGE
                       ACTION NO. 20-CI-00365

TIMOTHY S. HART, MD P.S.C. D/B/A
HART FAMILY CARE AND BETH
HULETT                                                              APPELLEES

                       OPINION AND ORDER
     AFFIRMING, IN PART, REVERSING, IN PART, AND REMANDING

                                 ** ** ** ** **

BEFORE: CETRULO, COMBS, AND GOODWINE, JUDGES.

GOODWINE, JUDGE: The Kentucky Unemployment Insurance Commission

(“Commission”) appeals the judgment of the Boyd Circuit Court reversing its

decision and determining Beth A. Hulett (“Hulett”) is ineligible for unemployment

benefits due to misconduct. We affirm, in part, reverse, in part, and remand. We
also grant the motion of Timothy S. Hart, MD P.S.C. d/b/a Hart Family Care

(“Hart Family Care”) to strike portions of the Commission’s brief.

              Hulett was hired as a receptionist by Hart Family Care in 2017. Karen

Hart (“Hart”) co-owns the business. Jackie Henderson (“Henderson”) was Hulett’s

supervisor.

              The Commission summarized the pertinent facts as follows:

              On January 8, 2020, Ms. Hart came into the office to
              address a computer issue. When she arrived, Ms.
              Henderson spoke with Ms. Hart about some concerns
              with the office telephone system. Ms. Hart told Ms.
              Henderson that she had also tried to call the office and
              had gotten a message that the mailbox was full. [Hulett]
              overheard them talking about the phone system and told
              Ms. Hart that she did not believe that the patients could
              not get through because of a full voicemail box because
              she frequently checked the voicemail. Ms. Hart ask[ed]
              [Hulett] if [Hulett] was calling her a liar. This is when it
              “got ugly.” [Hulett] responded that she was not calling
              Ms. Hart a liar, but that no one else in the office had
              received any complaints. [Hulett] said it would have to
              be the system because she answers her phone calls. Ms.
              Hart told [Hulett] that she was not saying that [Hulett]
              was not doing her job. Ms. Hart said she was just
              conveying that she had had two complaints.

              Ms. Henderson also felt like Ms. Hart thought her staff
              was not answering the phone, and was expressing to Ms.
              Hart that she and her staff answered the phone. Ms. Hart
              told Ms. Henderson and [Hulett] that she felt like she was
              being bombarded. Ms. Henderson told Ms. Hart she was
              not bombarding her, she was just asking what could be
              going on with the phone calls. Both Ms. Hart and
              [Hulett] had been raising their voices. [Hulett] went to
              check on a client, and the situation calmed down.

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            Ms. Hart then went into Ms. Henderson’s office, with the
            door open, and asked Ms. Henderson when was the last
            time that they had a staff meeting. Ms. Henderson
            indicated it had been a while. Ms. Hart said that she
            wanted to have a staff meeting because of an incident
            that occurred with a patient and because she was “not
            going to tolerate an employee talking to her like that.”

            [Hulett] overheard Ms. Hart. She went into the office
            and told Ms. Hart that she was not being disrespectful,
            that she was “giving to her what she was given.” Both
            [Hulett] and Ms. Hart were getting loud, and Ms.
            Henderson asked them to stop because there were
            patients in the office. Ms. Henderson told them both that
            they were being “ridiculous.” Ms. Hart asked [Hulett] to
            come into the office, and she shut the door.

            [Hulett] told Ms. Hart that Ms. Hart was having a bad
            day and taking it out on her. Ms. Hart told [Hulett] that it
            was not the computer, that it was [Hulett’s] attitude.
            Then [Hulett] told Ms. Hart that she “was lying” then
            because she had previously indicated the computer issue
            had her upset. [Hulett] and Ms. Hart were both speaking
            over each other. Ms. Hart asked [Hulett] to be quiet and
            let her talk. Ms. Hart asked [Hulett] if she was aware
            that she was co-owner of this business. In a sarcastic
            tone, [Hulett] responded, “oh how well I know.” Ms.
            Hart asked [Hulett] to leave, discharging her.

Record (“R.”) at 116-17.

            Hulett applied for unemployment benefits. Hart Family Care disputed

her claim. The Office of Unemployment Insurance issued a denial of benefits on

February 10, 2020. Hulett appealed the denial and, after a hearing, a referee

                                        -3-
affirmed the denial of benefits because of misconduct, as defined by KRS1

341.370(6). Hulett then appealed to the Commission. The Commission

determined Hulett’s behavior was not misconduct and reversed the referee’s

decision.

                Hart Family Care appealed the Commission’s decision to the circuit

court, as allowed under KRS 341.450(1). The court reversed the Commission’s

decision, finding it committed reversible error. The court relied on a personnel

policy, signed by Hulett, which, in part, stated, “insubordination will not be

tolerated and warrants immediate dismissal.” R. at 59. The court found Hulett’s

behavior was insubordinate and qualified as misconduct. The Commission

appealed.

                       Judicial review of a decision of the [Commission]
                is governed by the general rule applicable to
                administrative actions. If the findings of fact are
                supported by substantial evidence of probative value,
                then they must be accepted as binding and it must then be
                determined whether or not the administrative agency has
                applied the correct rule of law to the facts so found.
                Substantial evidence has been defined as evidence which
                has sufficient probative value to induce conviction in the
                minds of reasonable people. If there is substantial
                evidence in the record to support an agency’s findings,
                the findings will be upheld, even though there may be
                conflicting evidence in the record. An agency’s findings
                are clearly erroneous if arbitrary or unsupported by
                substantial evidence in the record. If the reviewing court

1
    Kentucky Revised Statutes.

                                           -4-
                concludes the rule of law was correctly applied to facts
                supported by substantial evidence, the final order of the
                agency must be affirmed.

Kentucky Unemployment Ins. Comm’n v. Cecil, 381 S.W.3d 238, 245-46 (Ky.

2012) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted).

                Before determining the merits of the Commission’s appeal, we will

consider Hart Family Care’s motion to strike portions of the Commission’s brief.

The Commission alleges, in part, that the circuit court was prohibited from

considering the personnel policy because it was not made part of the record before

the referee. Hart Family Care moved to strike this portion of the Commission’s

brief as unpreserved.

                Appellant briefs must include, “at the beginning of the argument a

statement with reference to the record showing whether the issue was properly

preserved for review and, if so, in what manner.” RAP2 32(A)(4).3 The

Commission’s brief includes a preservation statement. However, the pages cited to

do not contain any mention of the personnel policy. Furthermore, our review of

the record reveals the Commission did not raise its argument before the circuit

court. This Court “is without authority to review issues not raised in or decided by

2
    Kentucky Rules of Appellate Procedure.
3
  Hart Family Care cites Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (“CR”) 76.12(4)(c)(v). Since the
filing of the motion, the Rules of Appellate Procedure went into effect. RAP 32(A)(4) and CR
76.12(4)(c)(v) include identical language regarding preservation.

                                             -5-
the trial court.” Ten Broeck Dupont, Inc. v. Brooks, 283 S.W.3d 705, 734 (Ky.

2009) (citation omitted). Because this issue was not preserved and was not first

raised before the circuit court, we will not address it. On this basis, we grant the

motion and strike portions of the Commission’s brief which claim the personnel

policy was not properly made part of the record before the referee.

             We will now consider the merits of the Commission’s appeal. The

Commission argues: (1) the court incorrectly applied the statutory standard of

misconduct rather than the common law standard; (2) the Commission’s findings

were supported by substantial evidence of probative value; and (3) the court

substituted its judgment for that of the Commission.

             A claimant is disqualified from receiving benefits where she has been

discharged for misconduct. KRS 341.370(1)(b). The statute defines “discharge for

misconduct.” KRS 341.370(6). Where a claimant’s behavior does not meet the

statutory definition, the Commission will determine whether the conduct meets the

common law definition for misconduct. Cecil, 381 S.W.3d at 247. The courts

have established that misconduct requires a determination of “whether the

employee’s actions evidence a [willful] and wanton disregard of the employer’s

interests.” Masonic Homes of Kentucky, Inc. v. Kentucky Unemployment Ins.

Comm’n, 382 S.W.3d 884, 886-87 (Ky. App. 2012) (citation omitted). The circuit

                                          -6-
court, like the Commission, applied the common law standard for misconduct. We

affirm the circuit court’s application of the common law definition of misconduct.

             However, the court erred by determining the Commission’s finding

(that Hulett was not discharged for misconduct) was unsupported by substantial

evidence of probative value. The Commission found “it has not been shown that

[Hulett’s] behavior was motivated by or the result of a willful or wanton

indifference for the work, the employer’s interests, or duties owed such that the

common-law standard for misconduct is met.” R. at 119. Based on the evidence,

the Commission determined Hulett was defending her job. In reaching these

conclusions, the Commission relied on Henderson’s testimony, which it found to

be “a very fair, rational, detailed, and even-handed account of what had

occurred[.]” R. at 118. Henderson testified on behalf of Hart and the Commission

found:

             Ms. Henderson testified that both [Hulett] and Ms. Hart
             were acting in an inappropriate manner. It is clear from
             her testimony that both women were speaking to the
             other in an unprofessional manner. They were both upset
             and defensive. The exchange was initiated by Ms. Hart
             discussing the phone issue in a manner that made both
             Ms. Henderson and [Hulett] feel the need to defend
             themselves. Ms. Henderson testified that things “got
             ugly” when Ms. Hart asked [Hulett] if [Hulett] thought
             she was a liar. Ms. Hart then stated that she felt
             “bombarded” by Ms. Henderson and [Hulett]. Based on
             the testimony of record, the incident was initiated by Ms.
             Hart’s demeanor when first discussing the situation, and

                                         -7-
             then further ignited by Ms. Hart asking [Hulett] if
             [Hulett] thought Ms. Hart was a liar.
R. at 118-19.

             It is the exclusive responsibility of the Commission to judge “the

credibility of the witnesses, the weight given [to] the evidence, or the inferences to

be drawn from the evidence.” Thompson v. Kentucky Unemployment Ins. Comm’n,

85 S.W.3d 621, 624 (Ky. App. 2002) (footnote omitted). On this basis, the

Commission was within its authority to give weight to Henderson’s testimony.

This substantial evidence supports the Commission’s decision, making it binding.

See Cecil, 381 S.W.3d at 245 (citation omitted).

             Finally, a court cannot substitute its judgment for that of the

Commission. Masonic Homes, 382 S.W.3d at 886 (citation omitted). The courts

must uphold the Commission’s findings where they are supported by substantial

evidence, even where conflicting evidence exists in the record. Cecil, 381 S.W.3d

at 245-46. “A court’s function in administrative matters is one of review, not

reinterpretation.” Thompson, 85 S.W.3d at 624 (footnote omitted).

             The circuit court’s decision relies on the fact that Hulett signed a

personnel policy which included a prohibition on insubordination. Regardless of

whether this policy was made part of the record before the referee, it is not

determinative. Insubordination is not defined in the policy nor the court’s

decision. However, BLACK’S LAW DICTIONARY (11th ed. 2019), defines it as “[a]

                                         -8-
willful disregard of an employer’s instructions[.]” This definition is substantially

similar to that of misconduct, which, after detailed fact-finding, the Commission

concluded had not been proven by Hart Family Care. See Alford v. Kentucky

Unemployment Ins. Comm’n, 568 S.W.3d 367, 370 (Ky. App. 2018) (“employer

bears the burden of proof establishing that the claimant should be disqualified from

receiving benefits because of misconduct”). The circuit court erred by substituting

its own judgment for that of the Commission.

               Based on the foregoing, the order of the Boyd Circuit Court is

affirmed, in part, reversed, in part, and remanded with instructions to enter an order

affirming the decision of the Commission.

                                      ORDER

             IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Hart Family Care’s motion to strike

portions of the Commission’s brief is GRANTED as set forth herein.

             ALL CONCUR.

ENTERED: February 10, 2023__
                                               JUDGE, COURT OF APPEALS

                                         -9-
BRIEF FOR APPELLANT:     BRIEF FOR APPELLEE:

Andrew T. Bryson         Richard W. Martin
Frankfort, Kentucky      D. Luke Vincent
                         Ashland, Kentucky

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