McCarthy v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review

**McCarthy v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review** This case involved a worker named McCarthy who quit her job at LaSalle University after the school eliminated her earned retirement health care benefits. When she applied for unemployment compensation, the state board initially denied her claim, likely reasoning that she voluntarily quit without good cause. The court sided with McCarthy and overturned the board's decision. The judge ruled that when LaSalle University unilaterally eliminated her earned retirement health benefits, McCarthy had a "necessitous and compelling reason" to quit her job. This legal standard means she faced circumstances so serious that a reasonable person would have felt forced to leave. The court found this met the requirements for unemployment compensation eligibility. **What this means for workers:** If your employer makes significant cuts to benefits you've already earned—especially important ones like health care—you may be able to quit and still collect unemployment benefits. The key is that the employer's actions must be substantial enough that quitting becomes a reasonable response. This protects workers from being trapped in jobs where employers drastically reduce previously promised benefits.