Ackley v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review

**Ackley v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review: When You Can't Get Unemployment After Quitting** William Ackley worked full-time for Express Employment Professionals but quit his job to take a part-time position at Walmart. When he later applied for unemployment benefits, the state denied his claim. Ackley challenged this decision, arguing he should be eligible for benefits. The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court sided with the unemployment board and upheld the denial of benefits. The court ruled that Ackley voluntarily left his full-time job without "necessitous and compelling cause" – meaning he didn't have a good enough reason that would justify quitting and still receiving unemployment benefits. Simply choosing to leave a full-time job for part-time work didn't meet the legal standard required to collect unemployment compensation. **What This Means for Workers:** This case highlights an important rule about unemployment benefits: you generally can't collect them if you voluntarily quit your job without a compelling reason. Workers should understand that leaving full-time employment for part-time work, even if it seems like a better opportunity, may disqualify you from receiving unemployment benefits later. Before quitting any job, consider whether your reason would meet your state's requirements for "good cause."