In re the Claim of Mercure
Opinion of the Court
Appeal from a decision of the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board, filed August 20, 2004, which ruled that claimant was disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefits because his employment was terminated due to misconduct.
Substantial evidence supports the decision of the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board ruling that claimant lost his employment as an account representative due to disqualifying misconduct. The record establishes that instead of complying with his supervisor’s request to take his turn covering the reception desk during lunch, claimant replied “I can’t,” without any further explanation. It is well settled that failure to comply with a reasonable request of an employer can constitute disqualifying misconduct (see Matter of Hart [Commissioner of Labor], 275 AD2d 832, 832 [2000]; Matter of Marcano [Commissioner of Labor], 271 AD2d 795, 796 [2000]), particularly where, as here, claimant previously had been warned about insubordinate behavior and was aware that his job was in jeopardy (see Matter of Goodrich [Raymond Corp.—Commissioner of Labor], 301 AD2d 720, 720 [2003]). Although claimant later asserted that a disability prevented him from performing the requested task, he failed to mention this to his supervisor or offer any other explanation for his refusal.
Mercure, J.P., Peters, Rose, Lahtinen and Kane, JJ., concur. Ordered that the decision is affirmed, without costs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.