Clay v. Crooks Industries

• Decision Date: 20 December 1974
• Docket Number: No. 11401,11401
• Citation: 529 P.2d 774,96 Idaho 378
• Parties: Melvin CLAY, Claimant-Appellant, v. CROOKS INDUSTRIES, Employer, and Department, of Employment, Defendant-Respondent.
• Court: Idaho Supreme Court

Page 774

529 P.2d 774

96 Idaho 378

Melvin CLAY, Claimant-Appellant, v.CROOKS INDUSTRIES, Employer, and Department, of Employment, Defendant-Respondent.

No. 11401.

Supreme Court of Idaho.

Dec. 20, 1974.

Jeffrey Howe, Western Idaho Legal Aid, Inc., Boise, for claimant-appellant.

W. Anthony Park, Atty. Gen., R. LaVar Marsh, Raymond N. Malouf, Asst. Attys.Gen., Boise, for defendant-respondent.

BAKES, Justice.

ClaimantJohn Melvin Clay has appealed from the order of the Industrial Commission denying him unemployment compensation benefits for which he applied after leaving a job with Crooks Industries.Clay had been employed by Crooks Industries at various times over a fifteen year period, but he had last begun work for it during August of 1971 when he was hired, according to the testimony of John Crooks, the owner of Crooks Industries, as a 'shop engineer' whose 'duties were of a much higher nature than that of a welder or machinist because of his inventive mind.'Clay, who considered himself as, and was considered by Crooks to be an inventor, testified that it was his understanding when he was hired that after he helped Crooks Industries complete the construction of a machine shop building project he would be given an opportunity to use some of his working time while in Crooks' employ to pursue certain independent inventive projects of his own.Crooks testified that when he hired Clay the possibility was discussed and he told Clay that after the completion of the building project they would endeavor to pursue some inventive ideas together and, in the meantime, Clay had consented to work for him on the building during the completion of the building project.Clay continued working for Crooks until March of 1973 when the building project was nearing completion.During that time Clay was employed primarily on the building project, work which Crooks described as 'of a more humble nature than his qualifications.'As the building project neared completion, it appeared to Clay that he would not soon be given the opportunity to pursue his inventive bent as he thought he would when he agreed to go to work for Crooks.As a result he requested that his name be removed from the payroll until this question concerning the terms of his employment could be resolved.Crooks testified that because of adverse business conditions he would not be able to allow Clay to work on his own inventive projects.Clay never returned to work for Crooks after this, and he later filed a claim for unemployment compensation because he was then without a job.

A hearing was held by the Department of Employment before one of its appeals examiners on the issue of whether Clay had left work for a good cause.Clay and Crooks were the only two witnesses at that hearing.After the hearing the examiner denied Clay's claim.

An appeal was taken by Clay to the Industrial Commission.At the beginning of the hearing before the Industrial Commission, its chairman told Clay, 'Now, the purpose of this hearing is to give you an opportunity to put into the record anything that you may have in addition to what took place in the hearing before or anything that you wish to rebut in the transcript.'Clay, who was the only witness to appear before the Industrial Commission, explained that because Crooks Industries had not afforded him the opportunity to pursue the inventive projects which he felt that they had agreed he would be allowed to pursue, he was entitled to leave his job with them.Clay's testimony was the only oral testimony before the Industrial Commission.The commission considered that testimony and the transcript of the proceedings before the appeals examiner and denied his claim.This appeal followed.

Eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits is determined under I.C. § 72-1366, which provides:

'72-1366.Personal eligibility conditions.-The personal eligibility conditions of a benefit claimant are that--

'(f) His unemployment is not due to the fact that he left his employment voluntarily without good cause . . ..(Emphasis supplied).

'(h) In determining . . . whether or not work is suitable for an individual, . . . experience, training, past earnings, . . . and other pertinent factors shall be considered.No employment shall . . . be deemed suitable and benefits shall not be denied to any otherwise eligible individual for refusing to accept new work...