In this case, Janet Boyles was employed by Energy Family Credit Union as a loan processor. Boyles was discharged from employment and applied for unemployment compensation benefits.

The Wisconsin Department of Labor and Industry ultimately denied the former employee’s request for compensation for the first seven weeks, and found that the loan processor was discharged due to misconduct.

In Wisconsin, an employee whose work is terminated due to misconduct connected with the employee’s work is ineligible to receive unemployment benefits until seven weeks have elapsed from the end of the week when the employee is discharged.

Here, the credit union established that this employee had a problem dealing with customers and co-workers; she was rude to customers and, notwithstanding numerous reprimands from credit union management, this employee continued to act in an insubordinate fashion, thus disrupting the morale and good order of the workplace.

Hence, unemployment compensation benefits were denied to this former employee for the first seven weeks while unemployed since she had been discharged from employment due to her misconduct. Janet Boyles v. Energy Family Credit Union, et al. (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, Case No. 93-1553).

Author: Charles R. Harroun