Court Opinion

ID: 9767544
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:21:05.331252+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:31.696410
License: Public Domain

CRAHAN, Presiding Judge,
concurring.
I concur in the principal opinion except insofar as it may be read to suggest that employee’s failure to comply with employer’s absentee policy is irrelevant in determining eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits. Maj. op. at 415. There are many cogent reasons why an employer might adopt strict procedures for reporting absences. I see no reason why deliberate failure to abide by such procedures could not constitute willful disregard of the employer’s interest which would justify disqualification for unemployment benefits, even if the reason for the absence itself was beyond the employee’s control. In this case, however, there was evidence that employee’s failure to comply with the strict letter of employer’s absentee notification requirements was likewise due to circumstances beyond her control. Thus, the Commission was justified in determining that employee’s failure to comply fully with employer’s absentee policy did not constitute willful misconduct in this instance.