Court Opinion

ID: 9804657
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 17:03:10.429086+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:17:36.135925
License: Public Domain

Chief Justice TOAL.
While I concur with the result reached by the majority based on the particular facts of this case, I write separately to express my misgivings regarding the Panel’s use of such a strict reading of section 41-35-120. Legette tested positive for marijuana twice, as demonstrated through drug tests *518administered by a certified laboratory. While the laboratory was not one of the three listed in the subsection (3)(B) of the statute, the Tribunal determined that the laboratory’s certification was comparable to that of the three listed in the statute. Further, one of the three laboratories listed in the statute (the NIDA) no longer exists. As such, not only do I urge the General Assembly to consider amending the statute to reflect this change, but I also find that Nucor’s drug tests on Legette served as a reliable indicator of her illegal drug usage, which is clearly a proper ground for termination. Additionally, a for-cause termination for illegal drug use would completely justify a denial of unemployment benefits.
Nonetheless, the Panel decided not to accept evidence of the positive drug tests because the laboratory that performed the tests was not one of the three listed in the statute. I do not believe this reading is faithful to the legislative intent of the statute, which is to have the drug tests performed by a reliable, outside laboratory.
However, Nucor did not properly place the laboratory certification issue before this Court. It did not seek a ruling from the ALC on this issue. While subsections (2) and (4) received a final ruling from the ALC and are thus appealable, the ruling on subsection (3) regarding the validity of the laboratory’s certification was not appealed to the ALC. Thus, the ALC did not rule upon this issue, and the Panel’s ruling that the certification was inadequate is the law of the case. As a result, this issue is not appealable here.
Given the procedural posture of this case, I believe the majority reached the correct result; however, I also believe that, had Nucor properly appealed the laboratory’s certification, Legette would not be entitled to unemployment benefits given her multiple positive drug tests. Therefore, I concur in the result reached by the majority.