REBECCA L. MARLOW,

Petitioner-Appellant,

v.

NORTH CAROLINA EMPLOYMENT SECURITY COMMISSION,

Respondent-Appellee.

Appeal by petitioner from order entered 20 August 1996 by Judge Ronald E. Bogle in Catawba County Superior Court. Heard in the Court of Appeals 27 August 1997.

Catawba Valley Legal Services, Inc., by John Vail, for petitioner-appellant.

Employment Security Commission of North Carolina, by Chief Counsel Thelma M. Hill and Deputy Chief Counsel Henry Gransee, for respondent-appellee.

JOHN, Judge.

Petitioner appeals the trial court's order affirming decisions of the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina (the Commission) and the Appeals Referee denying her claim for unemployment benefits. We reverse the trial court.

The underlying facts are essentially uncontroverted and pertinent portions are set out in the findings of fact of the Appeals Referee as follows:

1. [Petitioner] worked for Carpenter Decorating Company . . . as a machine operator. . . . . . . .