Mark Meredith v. Director, Division of Workforce Services

Summary

The Arkansas Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of unemployment benefits to Mark Meredith after finding that he was discharged for misconduct connected with his work. The court held that Meredith’s referral of a potential customer to a friend for lower-priced service constituted a willful disregard of his employer’s interest, while a dissent argued that the record lacked evidence of a stated employer policy or interest that Meredith violated.

Holdings

1. Substantial evidence supported the Board's finding that Meredith's conduct constituted misconduct connected with his work, so he was disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits.
2. The court deferred to the Board's interpretation of Meredith's testimony and its credibility and evidentiary-weight determinations.

Questions Presented

1. Whether substantial evidence supported the Board's finding that Meredith was discharged for misconduct connected with his work.
2. Whether Meredith's referral of a potential customer to a friend at a lower price constituted a willful disregard of White Motor's interests despite the absence of testimony from White Motor at the Tribunal hearing.
3. Whether the Board improperly interpreted Meredith's testimony concerning how many times he had referred customers to others.

Disposition

affirmed