Background
Classic Design & Construction LLC sought relief under ORS 657.471 from unemployment-insurance charges arising from benefits payable to its former employee, Samuel J. Trinidad II. The employer argued that Trinidad voluntarily quit on December 6, 2022, to avoid child-support obligations and that the separation therefore qualified the employer for relief from the charges.
An administrative law judge found that the employer had not established a voluntary quit or otherwise shown entitlement to relief. The employer’s earlier submissions to the Employment Department characterized the work as seasonal, indicated that projects could resume after the wet season, and reported that Trinidad was still working rather than selecting the option stating that he had voluntarily quit.
The Court’s Holding
The Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed. Applying substantial-evidence review, the court held that the record permitted a reasonable person to find that the employer had not proved Trinidad voluntarily quit and therefore had not established entitlement to relief under ORS 657.471.
The court acknowledged that other evidence could have supported the employer’s preferred finding, but explained that its task was not to decide whether substantial evidence supported an alternative result. The relevant question was whether substantial evidence supported the ALJ’s actual findings, and the employer’s contemporaneous reports supplied that support.
Key Takeaways
- An employer seeking relief from unemployment-insurance charges bears the burden of establishing that a statutory ground for relief applies.
- Contemporaneous agency filings describing a separation as seasonal and the worker as still employed supported the finding that the worker had not voluntarily quit.
- The existence of evidence favoring a contrary finding does not defeat an agency decision when substantial evidence supports the finding the agency made.
Why It Matters
The decision underscores the importance of accurate, consistent separation information in unemployment filings. An employer may have difficulty later establishing a voluntary quit when its earlier reports described a seasonal interruption and continuing employment.
The opinion is a nonprecedential memorandum opinion under ORAP 10.30 and may be cited only as permitted by ORAP 10.30(1).