Morgan v. UCBR – Cmwlth. Court – May 29, 2020 – unreported* memorandum opinion
Claimant that it was necessary for him to quit his job out of fear for the safety of the children served by Employer and “concern” for his own professional reputation if he continued to work for Employer under circumstances involving alleged child neglect.
. . . The Board and Employer7 argue that Claimant failed to meet his burden, because he did not sufficiently describe any reasons for his concerns or fears before the Referee but instead made nonspecific, conclusory statements that conditions were unacceptable. The Board also emphasizes Claimant’s admission that he spoke only to his friends—not to Employer—about his concerns, and that he did not discuss his concerns with anyone until the day before he voluntarily quit.
We agree with the Board and Employer that Claimant failed to establish a necessitous and compelling reason to quit. Although safety concerns may give rise to such reasons, the claimant must “demonstrate[] by objective evidence” that the workplace is actually unsafe, and “‘fears’ alone do not constitute a compelling reason to resign.” Green Tree Sch. v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 982 A.2d 573, 578 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2009). Here, Claimant offered no objective evidence that the conditions of his employment were unsafe, either for himself or for the children served by Employer. Accordingly, Claimant failed to demonstrate circumstances that exerted real and substantial pressure on him to terminate his employment.
Whether a claimant had cause of a necessitous and compelling nature for leaving work is a question of law subject to this Court’s review. Brunswick Hotel & Conference Ctr., LLC v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 906 A.2d 657, 661 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2006). A claimant who voluntarily terminates his employment “bears the burden of proving that necessitous and compelling reasons motivated that decision.” Fitzgerald v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 714 A.2d 1126, 1129 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1998), appeal denied, 794 A.2d 364 (Pa. 1999). To establish cause of a necessitous and compelling nature, a claimant must establish: (1) circumstances existed that produced real and substantial pressure to terminate employment, (2) like circumstances would compel a reasonable person to act in the same manner, (3) the claimant acted with ordinary common sense, and (4) the claimant made a reasonable effort to preserve his employment. Procito v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 945 A.2d 261, 264 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2008) (en banc).
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*An unreported Commonwealth Court case may not be cited binding precedent but can be cited for its persuasive value. See 210 Pa. Code § 69.414(b) and Pa. R.A.P. 3716
