JOSE R. RODRIGUEZ VS. BOARD OF REVIEW (BOARD OF REVIEW, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR)

**What Happened** Jose Rodriguez worked as a truck driver for KO & JV Brothers Corporation. He left his job claiming that his sleep apnea condition made it unsafe for him to continue driving trucks. When he applied for unemployment benefits, the state denied his claim. Rodriguez appealed this decision, arguing he had good reason to quit his job due to his medical condition. **What the Court Decided** The New Jersey appeals court ruled against Rodriguez and upheld the state's denial of unemployment benefits. The court found that Rodriguez voluntarily quit his job without "good cause" related to his work. Crucially, Rodriguez failed to provide sufficient medical evidence proving that his truck driving job either caused his sleep apnea or made it worse. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that workers who quit due to health issues need strong medical documentation to qualify for unemployment benefits. Simply having a medical condition isn't enough—you must prove your job caused or worsened the condition. Workers considering leaving their jobs for health reasons should gather comprehensive medical evidence linking their condition to their work environment before quitting, as unemployment benefits may be denied without this documentation.