IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
IN AND FOR NEW CASTLE COUNTY
CARL FULLER :
Petitioner :
: C.A. No. 02A-03-007 SCD
:
v. :
:
:
TROPICAL LABOR AND NURSING, and :
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE :
APPEAL BOARD :
Respondents :
Submitted August 6, 2002
Decided September 16, 2002
O R D E R
This 16th day of September 2002, upon consideration of Petitioners opening brief,
Respondents’ answering brief, and the record in this case, it appears that:
(1) Petitioner Carl Fuller ("Fuller") has filed an appeal from the decision of the
Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board ("UIAB") denying a further hearing from an Appeals
Referee decision on December 27, 2001, for Petitioners failure to timely appeal.
(2) Fuller was employed by Tropical Labor and Nursing ("Tropical") a temporary placement
firm, where he was placed at various nursing homes as a Certified Nursing Assistant ("CNA").
Fuller last worked for Tropical on Sunday, September 30, 2001, when he opted to work a shift
originally scheduled for his wife. The following morning, Fuller arrived at Tropical to collect
his paycheck where he refused afternoon placement stating that he would no longer work for
under $15.00 per hour. Such a wage was not economically feasible for Tropical given current
contracts. Tuesday, October 2, 2001, Fuller again refused placement for under $15.00 per hour
and he has not been placed by Tropical since.
(3) Fuller filed for unemployment benefits on October 7, 2001. A Claims Deputy found
Fuller entitled to such benefits. Tropical appealed the decision and the matter was heard before
an Appeals Referee on December 27, 2001. Fuller failed to appear. On December 28, 2001, the
Appeals Referee issued a decision reversing the Claims Deputy’s finding and denying Fuller
unemployment benefits. Fuller had until January 7, 2002 to appeal the Appeals Referee’s
decision to the UIAB3. Petitioner did not file his appeal to the UIAB until February 20, 2002.
(4) As a matter of statutory jurisdiction, the UIAB is precluded from accepting a late appeal.
Further, the function of this Court on review of an UIAB decision is to determine whether the
decision is supported by substantial evidence and is free from legal error. Substantial evidence
is that which is relevant to a reasonable person, or that which adequately supports a reasonable
conclusion. This Court does not weigh the evidence, determine questions of credibility, or
make factual findings.
(5) The record is clear. Fuller was last employed on September 30, 2001. Thereafter, on
October 7, 2001, Fuller applied for and received unemployment benefits. Tropical appealed the
decision on December 27, 2001, and won. Petitioner had until January 7, 2002 to appeal. The
record shows that Fuller appealed to the UIAB on February 20, 2002, a full forty-four (44) days
after the expiration of the statutory appeal period.
(6) Therefore, the only issue before this court is whether the UIAB properly determined that
Petitioner failed to appeal the Appeals Referee decision on or before January 7, 2002. The
record clearly demonstrates Fuller’s failure to appeal timely.
THEREFORE, the decision below is AFFIRMED.
IT IS SO ORDERED
______________________________
Judge Susan C. Del Pesco
Original to Prothonotary
xc: Mr. Carl Fuller
Stephani J. Ballard, Deputy A.G.
Delaware Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board