Bertram v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review

**Worker Denied Unemployment Benefits After Calling Supervisor a Liar** This case involved a worker named Bertram who was fired from his job at Tom Hesser Chevrolet and then applied for unemployment benefits. Bertram was terminated on January 23, 2017, after he called his supervisor a liar during a workplace incident. When he filed for unemployment compensation, the state initially denied his claim, saying he was fired for misconduct. Bertram appealed this decision through the unemployment system. The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court upheld the denial of unemployment benefits. The court agreed that calling a supervisor a liar constituted "willful misconduct" under state unemployment law. Because the firing was due to the worker's deliberate bad behavior rather than circumstances beyond his control, he was disqualified from receiving benefits. This ruling matters for workers because it shows that certain types of workplace behavior can cost you both your job and your safety net. When you're fired for willful misconduct—like being disrespectful to supervisors or violating clear workplace rules—you may be denied unemployment benefits that you're counting on to pay bills while job searching. Workers should understand that unemployment benefits aren't automatic after termination.