Watkins v. Board of Review of the Employment Security Division of the Labor Department
Watkins v. Board of Review of the Employment Security Division of the Labor Department
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
This is an appeal from the judgment of the trial court denying benefits to plaintiff for the period from October 30, 1960, to February 4, 1961, under the employment security law. (G. S. 1949, 44-701, et seq.; as amended in G. S. 1961 Supp., and particularly 44-709 lhL)
The first matter to be considered relates to plaintiff’s right to proceed by reason of his failure to exhaust his remedies before the board of review of the employment security division of the state labor department. However, we are of the opinion that question is not controlling in the present appeal and we shall, therefore, pass on to the merits of other questions raised.
On November 30, 1960, defendant’s examiner held plaintiff was ineligible for benefits; that although plaintiff had disposed of his cattle he had indicated he expected to replace them in the spring. The examiner concluded that even though plaintiff would accept employment, he was self-employed and not unemployed. Plaintiff thereafter appealed to defendant’s referee and on February 7, 1961, the examiner’s determination was affirmed by the referee. On November 7,1961, the employment security board of review upheld the opinion of the referee that plaintiff was not unemployed for the period claimed. On November 9, 1961, plaintiff timely filed a petition for judicial review in the district court. On March 2, 1962, the trial court entered it journal entry of judgment as follows:
“1. That the question before the defendant Board of Review was whether or not claimant (plaintiff herein) was unemployed or self-employed.
“3. That the findings of the Board of Review if supported by any evidence, are conclusive on the Court; that the Court must accept the factual questions as found by the Board of Review and cannot look behind the Board’s decision as to the facts, the credibility of witnesses, or the weight of the evidence; the court cannot substitute its judgment for the Board’s upon those factors.
“4. That there is evidence to support the findings of the Board of Review.
“It is, therefore, considered, ordered, adjudged and decreed that the decision of the Board of Review of the Employment Security Division of the Labor Department of the State of Kansas be, and the same hereby, is affirmed.”
Plaintiff’s motion for new trial was in due time overruled and this appeal followed.
Counsel for plaintiff frankly admits the employment security agencies of the various states have not solved this problem uni
“G. S. 1959 Supp. 44-709 (h), dealing with a court review of a decision of the Employment Security Board of Review, provides that in any judicial proceeding thereunder findings of the board as to the facts, if supported by evidence and absent fraud, shall be conclusive, and the jurisdiction of the court shall be confined to questions of law.” (Syl. ¶ 3.)
We think the evidence herein is ample to prove that plaintiff was conducting and was primarily interested in his farming operations, and we are therefore unable to say there is no substantial competent evidence to support the findings and decision of the review board and the trial court that plaintiff was self-employed and not unemployed.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- L. Fisk Watkins, Sr. v. The Board of Review of the Employment Security Division of the Labor Department of the State of Kansas M. R. Lee L. M. Weltmer and R. F. Olberding, as members o£ said Board, and Beech Aircraft, a Corporation
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