Wis. Dep't of Workforce Dev. v. Wis. Labor & Indus. Review Comm'n

**What Happened** This case involved an employee at Mequon Jewish Campus who was fired for missing too much work. The employee applied for unemployment benefits, but the employer argued they shouldn't receive them because their excessive absences counted as workplace misconduct. The dispute centered on whether the employer's attendance policy was too strict compared to what state law requires. **What the Court Decided** The Wisconsin Supreme Court sided with the employer. The court ruled that companies can create attendance policies that are stricter than the basic standards set by state law. When employees violate these stricter policies, it counts as misconduct that disqualifies them from receiving unemployment benefits. **Why This Matters for Workers** This decision gives employers significant power to set tough attendance rules and deny unemployment benefits to workers who violate them. Workers need to carefully review their company's attendance policies, as missing work—even for reasons that might seem reasonable—could result in both job loss and denial of unemployment benefits. Employees should understand that their employer's attendance policy may be much stricter than what state law requires, and violations can have serious financial consequences.