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Cunningham Unempl. Compensation Case

Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Sep 16, 1960
164 A.2d 29 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1960)

Summary

In Cunningham v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, 193 Pa.Super. 172, 164 A.2d 29, the court said: "The record in this case clearly reveals that the claimant `resigned' his employment because he did not like his superior, Mr. Barrett. He testified as follows: `In other words, * * * I just could not stand any more of Mr. Barrett for his domineering ways. Better than fight with the gentlemen or fight with anybody I just resigned from the position.'"

Summary of this case from Citizens Bank of Sh. v. Ind. Com'n

Opinion

June 17, 1960.

September 16, 1960.

Unemployment Compensation — Voluntary termination of employment — Cause of compelling and necessitous nature — Dissatisfaction with working conditions.

1. A claimant who admittedly terminated his employment of his own accord has the burden of establishing that he had a compelling and necessitous reason for the separation.

2. In this case, in which it appeared that claimant "resigned" his employment because he did not like his superior, it was Held that there was competent evidence to support the board's finding that claimant voluntarily terminated his employment because of dissatisfaction with his working conditions and that he did not have cause of a compelling and necessitous nature for the separation.

Before RHODES, P.J., GUNTHER, WRIGHT, WOODSIDE, ERVIN, WATKINS, and MONTGOMERY, JJ.

Appeal, No. 171, Oct. T., 1960, by claimant, from decision of Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, No. B-56394, in re claim of Joseph A. Cunningham, Jr. Decision affirmed.

Joseph A. Cunningham, Jr., appellant, in propria persona, submitted a brief.

Sydney Reuben, Assistant Attorney General, with him Anne X. Alpern, Attorney General, for Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, appellee.


Argued June 17, 1960.


The only question raised by this appeal is whether the claimant had a compelling and necessitous reason, within the meaning of § 402(b) of the Unemployment Compensation Law, 43 P. S. § 802 (b), to terminate his employment where he voluntarily left because he was dissatisfied with the working conditions.

A claimant who admittedly terminates his employment of his own accord has the burden of establishing that he had a compelling and necessitous reason for the separation: Seroskie Unemployment Compensation Case, 169 Pa. Super. 470, 82 A.2d 558; Kaminski Unemployment Compensation Case, 174 Pa. Super. 242, 101 A.2d 132; Johnson Unemployment Compensation Case, 182 Pa. Super. 138, 125 A.2d 458.

Section 402(b) of the Unemployment Compensation Law, 43 P. S. § 802 (b), as last amended, provides, inter alia: "An employe shall be ineligible for compensation for any week — . . . (b)(1) In which his unemployment is due to voluntarily leaving work without cause of a necessitous and compelling nature. . . ."

The record in this case clearly reveals that the claimant "resigned" his employment because he did not like his superior, Mr. Barrett. He testified as follows: "In other words, if I am wrong . . . I just could not stand anymore of Mr. Barrett for his domineering ways. Better than fight with the gentleman or fight with anybody I just resigned from the position."

The board's finding that the "Claimant voluntarily terminated his employment because of his dissatisfaction with his working conditions" is amply supported by competent evidence.

Decision affirmed.


Summaries of

Cunningham Unempl. Compensation Case

Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Sep 16, 1960
164 A.2d 29 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1960)

In Cunningham v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, 193 Pa.Super. 172, 164 A.2d 29, the court said: "The record in this case clearly reveals that the claimant `resigned' his employment because he did not like his superior, Mr. Barrett. He testified as follows: `In other words, * * * I just could not stand any more of Mr. Barrett for his domineering ways. Better than fight with the gentlemen or fight with anybody I just resigned from the position.'"

Summary of this case from Citizens Bank of Sh. v. Ind. Com'n
Case details for

Cunningham Unempl. Compensation Case

Case Details

Full title:Cunningham Unemployment Compensation Case

Court:Superior Court of Pennsylvania

Date published: Sep 16, 1960

Citations

164 A.2d 29 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1960)
164 A.2d 29

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