Mulqueen v. Commonwealth
Mulqueen v. Commonwealth
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
This is an appeal from the order of the Unemployment Compensation Board of Beview (Board) affirming a decision of a referee denying benefits to Charles J. Mulqueen (Claimant). We affirm.
Claimant was on annual leave from his position as a Psychiatric Aide I at Clarks Summit State Hospital (Employer) from September 13, 1977 to and including September 27, 1977. On September 26, 1977, Claimant was involved in a “drunken brawl”
Section 3 of the Unemployment Compensation Law (Law), Act of December 5, 1936, Second Ex. Sess. (1937) 2897, as amended, 43 P.S. §752, provides that the Law was intended to compensate persons who become unemployed through no fault of their own. Substantial evidence exists in the record to support the conclusion that Claimant was unavailable for employment from September 28, 1977 through October 31, 1977 due to his incarceration. Claimant’s guilty plea is evidence that his incarceration was through his own fault. See Smith v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, 29 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 292, 370 A.2d 822 (1977). The Board was certainly justified in rejecting as incredible Claimant’s testimony that he had the ability to secure his release by posting bail at any time thereby becoming available for employment, but chose simply not to do so.
Accordingly, we conclude that the Board was correct when it found that the Claimant was unemployed through his own fault.
And Now, this 9th day of January, 1980, the order of the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review dated April 14, 1978, denying benefits to Charles J. Mulqueen is affirmed.
This decision was reached prior to the expiration of the term of office of Judge DiSalle.
This is Claimant’s description.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Charles J. Mulqueen v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Unemployment Compensation Board of Review
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published