When business declined, a company shipped an office worker to its warehouse. The worker hated his new job and quit — but does the move entitle him to benefits?
The facts:
- The employee used to repair small copy machines.
- When he was transferred to the warehouse job he had to assemble much larger machines.
- He didn’t like the new environment, claiming he had to lift heavy objects (which hurt his back) and the temperature variations aggravated his arthritis.
What happened:
- The company gave him a climate-controlled office and equipment to help with the lifting.
- None of it mattered — he quit saying he “couldn’t take it” anymore.
- He then applied for unemployment benefits.
Who won?
He was denied benefits, and a Superior Court upheld that ruling after an appeal. Why? It said there was no valid job-related reason to quit.
Lesson: Employees who are forced to quit because they work in unhealthy or unsafe environments are entitled to benefits. But if the employer offers appropriate accommodations and the worker doesn’t accept them, all bets are off.
Cite: Khimchenko v. Board of Review.
