Temple Univ. v. UNEMPLOYMENT COMP. BD.

**What Happened** A former Temple University employee was denied unemployment benefits after being fired for falsifying time sheets. The worker had been recording hours they didn't actually work to receive extra pay. When Temple University discovered this, they terminated the employee. The worker then applied for unemployment compensation, but was initially denied. The case went through appeals, with the unemployment compensation board eventually ruling in favor of the worker and granting benefits. **What the Court Decided** The Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed the unemployment board's decision and sided with Temple University. The court ruled that falsifying time sheets to get paid for unworked hours clearly constitutes "willful misconduct" under state law. They found the employee had no valid excuse or "good cause" for this behavior, making them ineligible for unemployment benefits. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling reinforces that workers who engage in serious dishonest behavior at work—like time theft or falsifying records—will likely be denied unemployment benefits if fired. Workers should understand that unemployment compensation is generally not available when termination results from deliberate misconduct, even if they later appeal the initial denial.