Weible v. Idaho Department of Labor

**What Happened** Ms. Weible worked at Safeway and needed to take time off for surgery. She and her employer mutually agreed that she would take a leave of absence, with Safeway promising to hold her job until she could return to work. While on this medical leave, Ms. Weible applied for unemployment benefits through the Idaho Department of Labor, but her claim was denied. **What the Court Decided** The Idaho Supreme Court ruled against Ms. Weible, agreeing with the state's decision to deny her unemployment benefits. The court found that she was not actually "unemployed" in the legal sense because her employer had guaranteed her job would be waiting when she recovered from surgery. Since Safeway committed to keeping her position open, the court determined she still had employment, even though she wasn't actively working. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling clarifies that workers cannot collect unemployment benefits during employer-approved medical leave when their job is guaranteed to be held for them. If your employer agrees to save your position during medical leave, you likely won't qualify for unemployment compensation during that time. Workers should explore other options like disability benefits or family leave programs when taking medical time off.