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In re the Claim of Yott

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department
Oct 25, 2007
44 A.D.3d 1211 (N.Y. App. Div. 2007)

Opinion

No. 502233.

October 25, 2007.

Appeal from a decision of the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board, filed November 17, 2006, which ruled that claimant was disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefits because his employment was terminated due to misconduct.

Ronald J. Yott, Warsaw, appellant pro se.

Andrew M. Cuomo, Attorney General, New York City (Mary Hughes of counsel), for respondent.

Before: Peters, J.P., Spain, Carpinello, Mugglin and Rose, JJ., concur.


Claimant worked as a custody officer for a company that contracts with the Department of Homeland Security to handle federal inmates and immigration detainees. He was subject to random drug testing and was discharged from his position after the results of a test he took came back positive for marihuana. The Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board ruled that he was disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefits because his employment was terminated due to misconduct. Claimant appeals.

We affirm. "An employee's use of controlled substances which produces a positive result following a drug test has been held to constitute disqualifying misconduct" ( Matter of Young [Commissioner of Labor], 28 AD3d 989, 989 [citations omitted]; see Matter of Langley [Commissioner of Labor], 12 AD3d 753). Here, it is undisputed that the third drug test taken by claimant was positive for marihuana and that this was a ground for discharge under the employer's clearly enunciated policy. Claimant's exculpatory explanations for the inconclusive results of the first two tests and the positive result of the third test presented a credibility issue for the Board to resolve ( see Matter of Cumberland [Commissioner of Labor], 249 AD2d 867). Therefore, we decline to disturb its decision.

Ordered that the decision is affirmed, without costs.


Summaries of

In re the Claim of Yott

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department
Oct 25, 2007
44 A.D.3d 1211 (N.Y. App. Div. 2007)
Case details for

In re the Claim of Yott

Case Details

Full title:In the Matter of the Claim of RONALD J. YOTT, Appellant. COMMISSIONER OF…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department

Date published: Oct 25, 2007

Citations

44 A.D.3d 1211 (N.Y. App. Div. 2007)
2007 N.Y. Slip Op. 7966
844 N.Y.S.2d 160

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