Friday, September 05, 2008

UC - willful misconduct - sleeping on the job

Dolan v. UCBR - Commonwealth Court - Septeem ger 5, 2008 - unreported memorandum decision

http://www.courts.state.pa.us/OpPosting/CWealth/out/718CD08_9-5-08.pdf
The Court has repeatedly held that sleeping on the job is “prima facie an act of willful misconduct.” Biggs v. UCBR, 443 A.2d 1204, 1205 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1982). Accord Kelley v. UCBR, 429 A.2d 1227 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1981); Ragland v. UCBR, 428 A.2d 1019 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1981); Johnson v. UCBR, 420 A.2d 794 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1980); Markley v. UCBR, 407 A.2d 144 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1979); UCBR v. Simone, 355 A.2d 614 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1976).

Thus, where an employer proves a claimant slept on the job, or a claimant admits he slept on the job, a prima facie case of willful misconduct is proven....As noted above, the record supports the Board’s finding Claimant fell asleep while driving. We agree

Claimant actions constituted willful misconduct, irrespective of whether an ensuing accident and damage to the employer's truck was intentional under Myers v. UCBR, 533 Pa. 373, 625 A.2d 622 (1993) (an employee’s involvement in three accidents in six-month period was, at most, the result of negligence rather than intentional or deliberate conduct; negligent conduct does not equate to willful misconduct for unemployment compensation purposes) and Finch v. UCBR, 692 A.2d 619 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1997)