Jani-King of N.Y., Inc. v. Comm'r of Labor

• Docket Number: 529914
• Decision Date: 09 March 2023
• Citation: 184 N.Y.S.3d 473
• Parties: In the Matter of the Claim of JANI–KING OF NEW YORK, INC., Appellant. v. COMMISSIONER OF LABOR, Respondent. (Claim No. 1.) In the Matter of the Claim of Jani–king of Buffalo, Inc., Appellant. v. Commissioner of Labor, Respondent. (Claim No. 2.)
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

184 N.Y.S.3d 473

In the Matter of the Claim of JANI–KING OF NEW YORK, INC., Appellant.

v.COMMISSIONER OF LABOR, Respondent. (Claim No. 1.)

In the Matter of the Claim of Jani–king of Buffalo, Inc., Appellant.

v. Commissioner of Labor, Respondent. (Claim No. 2.)

529914

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, New York.

Calendar Date: January 18, 2023

Decided and Entered: March 9, 2023

Littler Mendelson, PC, New York City (Eric A. Savage of counsel), for appellants.

Letitia James, Attorney General, New York City (Marjorie S. Leff of counsel), for respondent.

Before: Egan Jr., J.P., Lynch, Aarons, Ceresia and Fisher, JJ.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

Lynch, J.

Appeals from two decisions of the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board, filed December 6, 2018, which ruled, among other things, that Jani–King of New York, Inc. and Jani–King of Buffalo, Inc. were liable for additional unemployment insurance contributions on remuneration paid to certain franchisees.

Jani–King is an international sales and marketing company that, as relevant here, sells commercial cleaning and janitorial franchises to individual or corporate franchisees. Jani–King of New York, Inc. (hereinafter JKNY) and Jani–King of Buffalo, Inc. (hereinafter JKB) are regional divisions of Jani–King that operate under a national standard set by Jani–King. Following an administrative audit, the Department of Labor issued notices of determination separately holding JKNY and JKB liable for additional unemployment insurance contributions (effective first quarter of 2007 through fourth quarter of 2009) on remuneration paid to individual franchisees performing janitorial services.¹ Combined hearings ensued, at the conclusion of which the Administrative Law Judge, among other things, upheld the initial determinations holding JKNY and JKB liable for additional unemployment insurance contributions. Thereafter, by decisions filed December 6, 2018, the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board affirmed, prompting these appeals.

We affirm. "Whether an employment relationship exists within the meaning of the unemployment insurance law is a question of fact, no one factor is determinative and the determination of the Board, if supported by substantial evidence on the record as a whole, is beyond further judicial review even though there is evidence in the record that would have supported a contrary conclusion" ( Matter of Legros [Northeast Logistics, Inc.-Commissioner of Labor], 205 A.D.3d 1245, 1246, 169 N.Y.S.3d 372 [3d Dept. 2022] [internal quotation marks and citations omitted]; accord Matter of Tassie [Koyote Capital Group LLC–Commissioner of Labor], 204 A.D.3d 1276, 1277, 167 N.Y.S.3d 613 [3d Dept. 2022], lv dismissed 39 N.Y.3d 973, 179 N.Y.S.3d 649, 200 N.E.3d 554 [2022] ; Matter of Smith [TN Couriers, LLC–Commissioner of Labor], 204 A.D.3d 1182, 1183, 167 N.Y.S.3d 568 [3d Dept. 2022] ). "Substantial evidence is a minimal standard requiring less than a preponderance of the evidence. As such, if the evidence reasonably supports the Board's choice, we may not interpose our judgment to reach a [different result]" ( Matter of Chichester [Northeast Logistics, Inc.-Commissioner of Labor], 204 A.D.3d 1195, 1196, 167 N.Y.S.3d 572 [3d Dept. 2022] [internal quotation marks and citations omitted]; accord Matter of Relay Express Inc. [Commissioner of Labor], 204 A.D.3d 1265, 1266, 167 N.Y.S.3d 587 [3d Dept. 2022] ). "The relevant inquiry is whether the purported employer exercised control over the results produced or the means used to achieve those results, with control over the latter being the more important factor" ( Matter of Rosenblum [Tura, Inc.-Commissioner of Labor], 202 A.D.3d 1258, 1259, 163 N.Y.S.3d 630 [3d Dept. 2022] [internal quotation marks, brackets and citations omitted]; see Matter of Hawkins [A Place for Rover Inc.-Commissioner of Labor], 198 A.D.3d 1120, 1121, 155 N.Y.S.3d 243 [3d Dept. 2021] ; Matter of Lee [AXA Advisors LLC–Commissioner of Labor], 196 A.D.3d 975, 976, 152 N.Y.S.3d 513 [3d Dept. 2021] ). In this regard, "it is within the exclusive province of the Board to evaluate evidence and the inferences to be drawn therefrom, and the Board is the final arbiter of witness credibility" ( Matter of Fraternal Order of Eagles [Commissioner of Labor], 209 A.D.3d 1067, 1068, 175 N.Y.S.3d 622 [3d Dept. 2022] [internal quotation marks and citations omitted]; see Matter of Kupiec [Commissioner of Labor], 193 A.D.3d 1217, 1218, 147 N.Y.S.3d 163 [3d Dept. 2021] ; Matter of Colon [Staffing Solutions Org. LLC–Commissioner of Labor], 179 A.D.3d 1417, 1418, 117 N.Y.S.3d 382 [3d Dept. 2020] ).

Although JKNY and JKB point to various indicia of autonomy and control that they maintained in the day-to-day operations of their respective franchises, substantial evidence supports the Board's finding of an employment relationship and the additional unemployment insurance contributions imposed. Both the franchise agreement and the testimony adduced at the hearing make clear that Jani–King franchisees, who are subject to a criminal background check, must successfully complete mandatory training, during the course of which franchisees are provided with various manuals outlining Jani–Kings’ policies, procedures and operational standards and are instructed regarding the necessary equipment and supplies required. In addition to providing franchisees with an advertising package, including...