Witmer's Appeal

**What Happened** A worker filed for unemployment benefits after being fired from his job. The employee had refused to drive a company truck that had been repaired at a garage chosen by his employer. The worker apparently didn't trust the repair work and substituted his own judgment about the truck's safety instead of following his employer's instructions to drive the vehicle. **What the Court Decided** The court sided with the employer and upheld the Unemployment Compensation Board's decision. The court ruled that the worker was properly fired for "willful misconduct" because he refused to follow his employer's reasonable instruction to drive the repaired truck. As a result, the worker was denied unemployment benefits. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that employees generally cannot substitute their own judgment for their employer's decisions, even when they have safety concerns. Workers who refuse direct orders from their employer risk being fired for misconduct and losing their right to unemployment benefits. However, workers should know that there may be other legal protections for refusing unsafe work - this case specifically dealt with unemployment benefits, not broader workplace safety rights.