Crigger v. Division of Employment Security

# Crigger v. Division of Employment Security **What Happened** A worker named Crigger was fired from Caterpillar, Inc. and applied for unemployment benefits. The Division of Employment Security rejected his claim, saying he was fired for misconduct. Crigger appealed this decision, arguing he should receive the benefits anyway. **What the Court Decided** The court agreed with the Division of Employment Security and Caterpillar. The judge upheld the decision to deny Crigger unemployment benefits, finding that the employer had valid reasons to fire him for misconduct. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling clarifies that employees fired for misconduct typically cannot collect unemployment benefits. "Misconduct" is serious—it means intentional wrongdoing or repeated violations of workplace rules, not simply poor performance. Workers who lose jobs through no fault of their own (like layoffs) usually qualify for benefits. However, workers terminated for rule-breaking or intentional misbehavior may not be eligible. If you're fired and denied benefits, you have the right to appeal, but you'll need to show the employer acted unfairly.