Port Authority of Allegheny County v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review

**Port Authority Workers Win Unemployment Benefits After Program Termination** This case involved workers who participated in the Port Authority of Allegheny County's DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Program). Under this program, employees could continue working past their normal retirement date while their pension benefits accumulated in a separate account. The workers had chosen specific end dates for their participation, but the Port Authority terminated the entire program early, forcing them out before their selected dates. When these workers applied for unemployment benefits, the Port Authority argued they had voluntarily quit their jobs by joining the DROP program in the first place. The Unemployment Compensation Board disagreed and awarded benefits to the workers. The court sided with the workers, ruling that they were actually discharged (fired) rather than having quit voluntarily. The court found that because the Port Authority ended the program before the workers' chosen termination dates, it constituted an involuntary termination that made them eligible for unemployment compensation. **What this means for workers:** If your employer cancels a program you're participating in and forces you out of work earlier than planned, you may still qualify for unemployment benefits even if you originally volunteered for the program. The key factor is whether your job ended because of your employer's decision rather than your own choice.