STATE, DEPT. OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DIV. VS. MURPHY

**What happened:** An employee at Greystone Park Apartments was fired for missing work while they were in jail. After being released and later convicted of a crime, the person applied for unemployment benefits. The Nevada Department of Employment Security denied the benefits, but a lower court initially ruled in favor of the employee. **What the court decided:** The Nevada Supreme Court reversed the lower court's decision and ruled that the employee could not receive unemployment benefits. The court determined that under Nevada law, workers who are fired for absences caused by incarceration and are later convicted of a crime are automatically disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits. **Why this matters for workers:** This ruling establishes that in Nevada, employees cannot collect unemployment benefits if they lose their job due to missing work while incarcerated and are subsequently convicted. This applies even if the conviction happens after the termination. Workers should understand that criminal convictions can impact their eligibility for unemployment benefits, particularly when the absence from work was related to the criminal matter. This creates a strict standard that leaves little room for exceptions in these circumstances.