TRAPPIER v. BUTLER, Commissioner of Georgia Department of Labor.

# Trappier v. Butler: Work-Related Trauma and Unemployment Benefits **What Happened** Trappier worked as a commercial driver for Seminole Sanitation Services. After experiencing a fatal accident on the job, he developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Due to his psychological injury, Trappier quit his job. When he applied for unemployment benefits, the state initially denied his claim, arguing he hadn't given his employer a fair chance to fix the problem. **What the Court Decided** Georgia's Court of Appeals sided with Trappier. The court ruled that he had good cause to quit because of work-related PTSD—a legitimate health concern. The court also found that Trappier had discussed his situation with his employer, satisfying the requirement to give them an opportunity to respond. Therefore, Trappier qualified for unemployment benefits. **Why This Matters** This ruling protects workers who leave jobs due to serious work-related mental health injuries. It recognizes that psychological trauma is as valid a reason to quit as physical injury, and establishes that workers don't need to jump through extensive procedural hoops to access unemployment benefits when their health is at stake.