FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:
LESTER F. MURPHY STEVE CARTER
Murphy Law Firm Attorney General of Indiana
Tampa, Florida
FRANCES BARROW
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
JACKS WHOLESALE WINDOWS and DESIGN )
OF HAMMOND, INC., )
)
Appellant, )
)
vs. ) No. 93A02-0401-EX-34
)
REVIEW BOARD OF INDIANA )
DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE )
DEVELOPMENT and KAREN M. BULMER- )
MARSH, )
)
Appellees. )
FRIEDLANDER, Judge
Jacks Wholesale Windows and Design of Hammond, Inc. (Jacks) appeals a decision of
the Unemployment Insurance Review Board, Indiana Department of Workforce Development (the Review Board),
affirming an administrative law judges (ALJs) decision to grant unemployment benefits to Karen
M. Bulmer-Marsh. Jacks presents several issues, but we address only the following
issue, which is dispositive of the appeal:
Did the review board err in refusing to allow Jacks to introduce evidence
in the hearing before the ALJ to rebut a claim not raised until
after the hearing deputys decision with respect to a reason Bulmer-Marsh quit her
job?
We reverse and remand.
The facts favorable to the Review Boards decision are that Bulmer-Marsh began working
for Jacks on July 26, 1999. At the time she separated from
Jacks, Bulmer-Marsh was in charge of, among other things, billing customers and scheduling
for the installers. Bulmer-Marsh also leased a van from Jacks. At
some point, the van was vandalized, resulting in property damage. Bulmer-Marsh obtained
an estimate for repairs and Jacks issued a check made out to the
repair shop for $3362.68. Bulmer-Marsh went to the repair shop and explained
that she would have to take the van to several different places to
repair the damage (e.g., an electronics store to repair or replace the vehicles
sound system), and asked the repair shop to endorse the check over to
her, which it did. Bulmer-Marsh deposited the check in her own account
and kept $1000 of the proceeds.
See footnote According to Bulmer-Marsh, JoAnn Lewis (Lewis)
told me that I could use it as I wanted to. Either
fix part of the van and use the rest of it to fix
breaks [sic] and stuff.
Appellants Appendix at 7.
Bulmer-Marsh described Lewis as a vice-president of Jacks. In fact, Lewis was
a temporary store manager, not a vice-president. Lewiss son, Christopher, is also
relevant to these proceedings. He worked as an installer for Jacks, but
did not have a drivers license, because it had been suspended. Bulmer-Marsh
was aware of that fact, she claimed, because her job responsibilities included sending
copies of the drivers licenses of Jacks installers, who were required to drive
company vehicles to job sites. Bulmer-Marsh had asked Christopher to provide a
copy of his license, but he was unable to do so. Apparently,
Bulmer-Marsh felt pressure from Lewis not to report the fact that Christopher was
driving illegally. Bulmer-Marsh testified that when the companys corporate office called to
inquire as to the whereabouts of the paperwork reflecting Christophers valid license, she
would makeup [sic] something that [she] didnt get it from him, or [she]
forgot to get it from him. Id. at 11.
Shortly after she deposited the repair check in her personal account, Bulmer-Marsh was
told by Lewis that Jack Tilka, the owner of Jacks, learned she had
done so. Lewis told Bulmer-Marsh that she (Lewis) was going to fix
it. Id. at 17. Bulmer-Marsh was informed that the
corporate office had already put a stop-pay on the check. Bulmer-Marsh called
Tilka and asked why Jacks had embarrassed [Bulmer-Marsh] like that[.] Id. at 17.
She also asked to be allowed to keep the money in her
account so she could pay the various repair bills. According to Gail
Moran, a store manager for Jacks, Tilka told her absolutely not, that she
was to return the check, and he would make up separate checks for
the different vendors[.] Id. at 15. Before the bank was able
to act on the stop-pay order, Bulmer-Marsh had already withdrawn some of the
money from her account. The bank was able to recover only $2200
of the original $3362.68.
On January 30, 2003, Bulmer-Marsh went to Lewis and announced she was quitting.
She gave two reasons for leaving. First, she claimed the company
embarrassed her by putting a stop-pay order on the repair check. Second,
she claimed she was tired of having to cover up Christophers illegal activities,
i.e., driving a company truck without a license. Not surprisingly, Lewis did
not communicate the second reason to other Jacks personnel.
Bulmer-Marsh submitted a claim for unemployment benefits and Jacks challenged the claim on
grounds that she voluntarily left her employment without good cause. A hearing
was conducted before a hearing deputy, who entered the following conclusions in denying
Bulmer-Marshs claim:
The claimant voluntarily left employment without good cause in connection with the work.
It cannot be established the claimant attempted to resolve the dissatisfaction prior
to leaving the employment. The claimant is ineligible for benefits in accordance
with I.C. § 22-4-15-1. The employer is relieved of charges per I.C.
§ 22-4-11-1(d)1. Benefits are reduced and suspended as shown below.
Id. at 23. Bulmer-Marsh appealed that ruling and a hearing was conducted
by an ALJ. The ALJ reversed the decision of the hearing deputy,
entering the following conclusions:
In this case, the claimant gave two reasons for separating from the employment.
The first reason was because she was embarrassed because the employer put
a stop payment on a check made payable to an auto body repair
shop, which was then signed over by the repair shop to the claimant.
The ALJ cannot conclude that the claimant has shown good cause for
separation from the employment based upon her embarrassment as a result of the
stop payment on the check. However, the claimant also gave a second
reason for separating from the employment, which she made known to the employer
at the time of separation. The claimant indicated that she was separating
from the employment as a result of the vice presidents son illegally operating
one of the employers vehicles. The claimant was in charge of sending
copies of the employees [sic] drivers licenses to the corporate office. The
claimant asked the vice presidents son for a copy of his drivers license,
and he was unable to present his drivers license. The vice presidents
son did not have a valid drivers license, but was operating the employers
vehicle regardless. The claimant knew that the individual in question was illegally
operating his vehicle. The claimant told the vice president that her son
did not have a valid drivers license to operate the employers vehicle.
The claimant wrote a letter to the owner of the company to make
him aware of the fact that an individual was illegally operating his vehicle.
When nothing was done about the matter, the claimant quit the employment.
The ALJ concludes that the claimants reason for leaving the employment, namely
that an individual was operating the employers vehicle without a valid drivers license,
of which the claimant was responsible for sending the copies of the drivers
licenses to the employer, demonstrated good cause for separating from the employment.
The claimants reason for leaving the employment was objectively related to the employment,
and the reasonable person would have left the employment as well. Therefore,
based on the evidence, the ALJ concludes that the claimant has met the
burden of proving that she separated from the employment for good cause in
connection with the work pursuant to I.C. § 22-4-15-1.
Id. at 32. Jacks appealed the ALJs decision to the Review Board,
which affirmed the grant of benefits to Bulmer-Marsh. Jacks appeals the decision
of the Review Board.
Our standard of review when considering decisions of the Review Board is governed
in part by statute. Ind. Code Ann. § 22-3-4-8(b) (West, PREMISE through
2003 1st Regular Sess.) provides that an award by the full board shall
be conclusive and binding as to all questions of fact, but either party
... may ... appeal to the court of appeals for errors of law
under the same terms and conditions as govern appeals in ordinary civil actions.
This reflects a deferential standard of review with respect to the Review
Boards findings of fact, the determination of which may not be disturbed unless
the evidence is undisputed and leads undeniably to a contrary conclusion. Metropolitan
School Dist. of Lawrence Township v. Carter, 803 N.E.2d 695 (Ind. Ct. App.
2004). The first step is to review the findings to determine if
there is any competent evidence of probative value in the record to support
them. Id. When conducting this review, we neither reweigh the evidence
nor reassess witness credibility. Instead, we consider only the evidence and accompanying
reasonable inferences most favorable to the Review Boards decision. Id. After reviewing
the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the findings, we determine whether those findings
are sufficient to support the judgment. Id. at 697. We note
also the Review Boards decisions may be challenged as contrary to law.
In such cases, we review determinations of specific or basic underlying facts, conclusions
or inferences drawn from those facts, and legal conclusions. City of Bloomington
v. Review Bd. of Dept of Workforce Dev., 794 N.E.2d 1143 (Ind. Ct.
App. 2003).
Jacks contends the Review Board erred in refusing to allow Jacks to introduce
evidence at a hearing to rebut a claim not raised until the ALJ
hearing. The claim in question concerned the reason Bulmer-Marsh quit her job.
Central to the argument are the assertions that, at the hearing before
the hearing deputy, Bulmer-Marsh gave only one reason for quitting (i.e., embarrassment over
the decision made by Jacks to stop payment of the repair check), and
that the hearing deputy initially denied the application because she rejected that as
a qualifying reason. The appellate materials do not contain any information relating
to the proceedings before the hearing deputy except the Indiana Workforce Development Determination
of Eligibility Form that memorialized the deputys decision. Therefore, there is no
transcript reflecting such was, in fact, the only rationale initially given by Bulmer-Marsh
for quitting. It is significant, however, that Bulmer-Marsh does not deny that
was the case. Moreover, that would be consistent with the materials filed
by Jacks in relation to Bulmer-Marshs separation from employment and subsequent application for
benefits. Those materials included the following: (1) An Employee Status Change Form,
which was filled out by Lewis shortly after Bulmer-Marsh quit and which states,
Walked off job after theft said she quit, gave me her keys.
Appellants Appendix at 9; (2) a Department of Workforce Development (DWD) form
entitled Unemployment Insurance Request for Information, on which Jacks was asked to describe
the circumstances of Bulmer-Marshs leaving; the information provided focused exclusively upon the situation
involving the insurance check; and (3) a DWD form entitled Separating/Base Period Employer
Notice, on which Jacks described Bulmer-Marshs termination as follows:
Karen Bulmer abandoned her position with no notice; therefore this is a formal
employer protest against Karen Bulmers eligibility to recieve [sic] unemployment benefits under Jacks
Wholesale Windows
Karen Bulmer was leasing a company owned vehicle that was vandalized, while in
her possession. She cashed a Jacks Wholesale Windows company check that was
payable to the auto repair shop and deposited the funds into her own
personal bank account. When questioned in regards to her action, she quit,
handed in her keys, and left the building.
Id. at 12 (emphasis in original).
The foregoing would indicate that Jacks was not aware, and indeed had no
reason to suspect, that it would have to respond to an additional reason
for quitting offered by Bulmer-Marsh at the hearing before the ALJ. We
note that there is nothing built into the process of appealing the hearing
deputys decision that would convey such information to Jacks. For instance, the
record contains a form entitled Notice of Appeal that was completed by Bulmer-Marsh
in appealing the Deputys denial of benefits. On that form, she cited
the following as the reason she disagreed with the decision: I left Jacks
Wholesale due to being continuely [sic] made to cover illegal activities of Christopher
D. His mother was Vice-President, (Joan) but I had also made the owner
aware of problems by letter. Id. at 23. A copy of
that form was not provided to Jacks, however, in notifying Jacks of the
appeal. It therefore appears that Jacks challenged Bulmer-Marshs application for benefits at
the hearing before the deputy on the only ground for quitting then known
to it, i.e., the repair check. When that decision was appealed, it
is obvious from the record that Jacks prepared its case for the proceeding
before an ALJ by marshalling evidence to refute what it believed to be
the sole basis for Bulmer-Marshs quitting. As it turned out, however, Bulmer-Marsh
introduced a second reason at the ALJ proceeding.
The appeal hearing was conducted before ALJ Lisa Hancock. ALJ Hancock asked
Bulmer-Marsh, [W]hat reason did you give for quitting? Transcript of ALJ Hearing
at 7. Bulmer-Marsh responded,
I had been leasing a van from Jacks Wholesale Windows, and she had
gotten me the higher price insurance when it was broken into and wrecked,
and told me that I could use it as I wanted to.
Either fix part of the van and use the rest of it to
fix the breaks [sic] and stuff. And then when Jack found out,
she ended up calling the bank and embarrassing me.
Id. After Bulmer-Marsh described the repair check incident in further detail, Hancock
asked, So after Joann calls the bank and puts a stop payment on
that check, you quit? Id. at 10. Bulmer-Marsh responded, Uh-huh.
It wasnt only because of that. It was because I was tired
of her lying to Jack and her son driving without a license and
covering for her constantly. Id. Upon questioning, Bulmer-Marsh went on to
describe the situation involving Christophers non-existent drivers license. There is no question
that this second reason was unknown to Jacks, and the witnesses sent by
Jacks to the hearing were unable to comment upon, much less refute, the
factual allegations underlying this second and new reason for quitting.
Attending the hearing before the ALJ on behalf of Jacks were store manager
Moran and Sharyn Pferschy, identified as a store co-manager. They appear to
have been knowledgeable about matters pertaining to the repair check. When asked
by ALJ Hancock whether she knew anything about Christopher driving without a valid
drivers license, Moran responded, No, I do not. Id. at 13.
ALJ Hancock moved away from that topic, stating, Im not going to ask
you any more questions about that because you cant really answer. Id.
at 14. At the end of her testimony, Moran was asked if
she had any final comments, to which she responded: No, just that when
she was questioned by Joann Lewis about what took place about depositing the
money in her personal account after she was told not to, that she
handed over the keys and said that she quit. Id. at 16.
ALJ Hancock responded to that by asking Moran, Were you present?
Id. Moran responded that she was not. ALJ Hancock asked Pferschy
the same question, and received the same answer. Pferschy did not otherwise
participate in the hearing.
The foregoing conclusively demonstrates that the Jacks personnel who represented their employer at
the ALJ hearing were ignorant of any facts relevant to Bulmer-Marshs second reason
for quitting, and thus incapable of challenging Bulmer-Marshs claim on that basis.
The question we must answer is, does Jacks ignorance of Bulmer-Marshs second reason
for quitting render the Review Boards decision to affirm without conducting a hearing
at which Jacks could present evidence on that issue erroneous as a matter
of law? We hold that it does.
We note first that the Review Board may, of course, base its decision
entirely on a record made before a referee or an ALJ. Frederick
v. Review Bd. of Indiana Employment Sec. Div., 448 N.E.2d 1230 (Ind. Ct.
App. 1983). When that occurs, there is a presumption that the parties
were given an opportunity during those prior proceedings to fully litigate the dispositive
issues, which would include the opportunity to present all evidence relevant to whatever
factual questions must be resolved. Jacks was not afforded that opportunity in
this case. At the hearing before the hearing deputy, Bulmer-Marsh apparently focused
her argument that she quit for good cause entirely upon the factual assertion
that she left because Jacks had embarrassed her by putting a stop-pay order
on the repair check. Therefore, Jacks appeared at the hearing with evidence
to refute Bulmer-Marshs claim that the stop-pay order was somehow inappropriate, and that
her quitting for that reason was justified. Jacks did this by attempting
to portray the stop-pay order as reasonable. It appears to this court
that, in doing so, Jacks went further and sought to create the implication
that Bulmer-Marsh was guilty of malfeasance with respect to the repair check.
In any event, the hearing deputy determined that quitting because of the repair
check did not constitute leaving the employment for good cause in connection with
the work, as is required for benefits eligibility. Based upon its employment
records, the proceedings before the hearing deputy, and the notification it received concerning
the appeal to the ALJ, Jacks reasonably believed the issue at the ALJ
proceeding would be the same as before.
We note here that it cannot fairly be said that Jacks in any
way acquiesced in the introduction of what amounted to a new issue at
the ALJ hearing. Rule 15(B) of the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure
provides that even when an issue is not raised by the pleadings, it
may nevertheless be treated as though it were if it is tried by
express or implied consent of the parties. That principle does not apply,
however, unless both parties litigate the new issue. See Hacker v. Review
Bd. of Indiana Employment Sec. Div., 149 Ind.App. 223, 271 N.E.2d 191 (1971).
As reflected above, Jacks was not prepared to and in fact did
not litigate the issue of Christophers drivers license.
Finally, and significantly, in an affidavit submitted to the Review Board in conjunction
with its appeal, Jacks demonstrated there are disputed issues of fact created by
the evidence it did not have an opportunity to introduce that might well
affect the outcome of its appeal. The following excerpts from the affidavit
illustrate that point:
3. Prior to appearing at [the ALJ] hearing, neither I nor my company had
any notice that the claimant Karen Bulmer-Marsh had changed the basis upon which
she claimed entitlement to unemployment benefits, by adding to her claim of being
embarrassed over the exposure of her theft of our check for the repair
of the vehicle she was leasing from us, that additionally she was covering
for illegal activities of an independent contractor, Christopher Deinert, whose mother was her
superior nor that she claimed she had made me aware of such problems
by a letter.
4. At no time prior to such July 2, 2003 hearing, was I or
my company aware that the notice of appeal which Karen Bulmer-Marsh sent to
the Indiana Department of Workforce Development dated May 27, 2003 gave this additional
basis for her appeal, accordingly, the two (2) representatives I sent to the
July 2, 2003 hearing were not knowledgeable as to the facts necessary to
defend against such new claim nor did they have exhibits with on [sic]
such and nor could they testify on such issue.
5. At no time prior to March 18, 2003, was I aware Christopher Deinerts
driving privileges had been suspended or that he had an invalid drivers license,
and when I learned of such facts on March 18, 2003 he was
immediately terminated.
6. Joanne Lewis, the mother of Christopher Deinert, was temporary Store Manager at the
time Ms. Bulmer-Marsh quit on January 30, 2003, not a Vice President of
the company.
7. Following the termination of Christopher Deinert, I conducted an inquiry as to how
it came about he was working without possessing a valid drivers license, and
as a result of such investigation and other related reasons Joanne Lewis was
removed from her managerial functions with my company, but continued in a non-managerial
position, from which position she quit on April 28, 2003, which is the
subject matter of her pending unemployment claim.
Id. at 1-4.
Reviewing Tilkas affidavit, it is clear that he challenges some of the foundational
facts that underlie Bulmer-Marshs claim for benefits alleged facts that were established
at the ALJ hearing. As that claim (i.e., Bulmer-Marsh quit because of
the alleged drivers license cover-up) was not presented to the hearing deputy in
the prior proceeding, and unknown to Jacks at the time of the ALJ
hearing, Jacks has not had an opportunity to refute it. We note
also that Bulmer-Marshs success may well depend at least in part upon the
Review Boards assessment of her general credibility. That assessment is made not
only with respect to the truthfulness of her assertions concerning the foundational facts,
but with other, tangential facts as well. Tilkas affidavit challenges the accuracy,
and perhaps the credibility, of some of the assertions made by Bulmer-Marsh with
respect to some of those tangential facts.
In the final analysis, we must agree with Tilkas formulation of the appropriate
legal conclusion in this case: Without the ability to offer rebuttal evidence to
the new issue about the lack of a drivers license in respect to
Christopher Deinert, [Jacks] has been deprived of a fair hearing and [its] right
to confront the witness on her surprise evidence. Id. at 5.
Put more succinctly, Bulmer-Marshs factual assertions on the claimed second reason for
quitting have not been put to the test. We therefore must remand
with instructions to the Review Board to conduct a fact-finding hearing to that
end.
Judgment reversed and remanded.
BAKER, J., and DARDEN, J., concur.