Fulisha Fulmer, Relator v. Meridian Behavioral Health, LLC, Department of Employment and Economic Development

**What Happened:** Fulisha Fulmer was fired from her job at Meridian Behavioral Health and applied for unemployment benefits. The company claimed she was terminated for workplace misconduct because she refused to take a drug test that the employer considered reasonable. Fulmer disagreed with this characterization and challenged the denial of her unemployment benefits. **What the Court Decided:** The court sided with the employer and upheld the decision to deny Fulmer unemployment benefits. The judge determined that refusing to take a reasonable drug test requested by the employer constitutes employment misconduct, which makes a worker ineligible for unemployment compensation. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling clarifies that workers who refuse employer-requested drug tests may lose their right to unemployment benefits, even if they believe the test request was unfair. If your employer has a reasonable drug testing policy and you refuse to comply, you could be denied unemployment benefits if you're fired. Workers should understand their company's drug testing policies and know that refusing such tests can have consequences beyond just losing their job—it can also affect their ability to receive financial support while looking for new employment.