Opinion
No. C6-98-2077.
Filed May 11, 1999.
Appeal from the Department of Economic Security, File No. 6077UC98.
Michael L. Johansen, (pro se relator)
Kent E. Todd, (for respondent Commissioner of Economic Security)
Central Trading Recycling, Inc., (respondent)
Considered and decided by Klaphake, Presiding Judge, Kalitowski, Judge, and Short, Judge.
This opinion will be unpublished and may not be cited except as provided by Minn. Stat. § 480A.08, subd. 3 (1998).
UNPUBLISHED OPINION
Michael L. Johansen challenges the decision of the commissioner's representative that he is not entitled to reemployment insurance benefits because he failed to establish he quit his employment for good cause attributable to his employer. We affirm.
DECISION
The question of whether an employee quit due to "good cause attributable to the employer" is a question of law and this court need not defer to the commissioner's representative. Zepp v. Arthur Treacher Fish Chips, Inc. , 272 N.W.2d 262, 263 (Minn. 1978). An individual who voluntarily quits his job is disqualified from reemployment insurance benefits unless the individual quit for good reason caused by the employer. Minn. Stat. § 268.095, subd. 1(1) (1998). A good reason caused by the employer has been described as a reason which is "compelling, real and not imaginary, substantial and not trifling, reasonable and not whimsical and capricious." Kratochwill v. Los Primos , 353 N.W.2d 205, 207 (Minn.App. 1984).
Johansen argues that because he quit his employment due to the owner's rudeness both to Johansen and customers he quit for good cause. We disagree. Good cause does not encompass personality conflicts or situations where an employee experiences irreconcilable differences with others at work. Trego v. Hennepin County Family Day Care Ass'n , 409 N.W.2d 23, 26 (Minn.App. 1987). We conclude the commissioner's representative did not err by concluding Johansen's dissatisfaction with his working conditions did not constitute good cause to quit his employment.