After an administrative hearing, an Administrative Law Judge [ALJ] affirmed the Department of Labor's denial of Claimant's application for unemployment insurance benefits.
The Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board [Board] sustained the ALJ's ruling, explaining that the Claimant was disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefits as the result of Claimant's having "voluntarily left his employment without good cause." Claimant appealed the Board's determination.
Citing Matter of Lee [Commissioner of Labor], 190 AD3d 1170, and other court decisions, the Appellate Division affirmed the Board's decision, noting "It is well established that resigning from a position in order to pursue academic studies, while commendable, constitutes a personal and noncompelling reason for separating from one's employment, disqualifying a claimant from receiving unemployment insurance benefits."
The Appellate Division said it was undisputed that Claimant left his employment in order to complete an undergraduate degree program. Accordingly, substantial evidence supported the Board's finding that Claimant was disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefits as he had "voluntarily left his employment without good cause," and dismissed Claimant's appeal.
Click HERE to access the Appellate Division's decision posted on the Internet.