Opinion
September 11, 1997
Appeal from the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board.
Based upon the advice of her physician, claimant, a social worker, obtained a three-month medical leave of absence. During her leave of absence, claimant failed to keep a doctor's appointment which had been scheduled by her employer for a second opinion. She also failed to notify her employer of her failure to attend, despite being informed that she was required to do so immediately if she was unable to keep the appointment. Claimant also did not respond to the employer's ensuing messages and letters, including the notification that her employment had been terminated. Because substantial evidence supports the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board's finding that claimant engaged in disqualifying misconduct by failing to abide by a reasonable request of her employer, we affirm ( see, Matter of Bristol [New York State Elec. Gas Corp. — Sweeney], 238 A.D.2d 644; Matter of Jones [Hudacs] 202 A.D.2d 889, appeal dismissed 84 N.Y.2d 948; see generally, Matter of Tensley [Sweeney], 232 A.D.2d 711). Claimant's explanations for not keeping the doctor's appointment and failing to contact the employer for over a six-day period created a credibility issue which was for the Board to resolve ( see, Matter of Stanford [Hudacs], 210 A.D.2d 720).
Mikoll, J.P., White, Casey, Peters and Spain, JJ., concur. Ordered that the decision is affirmed, without costs.