Jesse Marshall, Relator v. St. John�s Lutheran Home of Albert Lea, Department of Employment and Economic Development

**What Happened** Jesse Marshall was fired from his job at St. John's Lutheran Home of Albert Lea for being late to work too many times. After losing his job, Marshall applied for unemployment benefits. However, the state's unemployment office denied his claim, saying he was fired for misconduct. Marshall challenged this decision in court, arguing he should be eligible for unemployment benefits. **What the Court Decided** The Minnesota Court of Appeals sided against Marshall. The court agreed with the unemployment judge's original decision that Marshall's excessive tardiness qualified as "employment misconduct" under state law. Because of this misconduct finding, Marshall remained ineligible to receive unemployment benefits. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that workers who are fired for attendance problems may not qualify for unemployment benefits. In Minnesota, being consistently late to work can be considered serious enough misconduct to disqualify someone from receiving unemployment compensation. Workers should understand that chronic tardiness can have consequences beyond just losing their job—it can also affect their ability to get financial support while looking for new employment. Maintaining good attendance is important for both keeping a job and protecting eligibility for benefits if employment ends.