Teacher’s Refusing to Agree to One Year Extension of Probationary Period Did Not Constitute Disqualifying Misconduct

The Third Department reversed the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board and determined that a teacher’s refusing to sign an agreement that would have extended her probationary period was not disqualifying misconduct:

Refusing to comply with an employer’s reasonable directive to sign a document can constitute insubordination and, thus, disqualifying misconduct … . This is not a situation, however, in which claimant was asked, and refused, to sign a document that was necessary to the operation of the employer’s business … . Under the Education Law, where a teacher has been on probationary status for three years, the employer must either grant the teacher tenure, terminate the employment or agree to an extension of the probationary term (see Education Law § 2573 [1]; … see also Education Law §§ 2509 [1]; 3012 [1]; 3014 [1]). Here, the employer chose not to grant claimant tenure and, instead, offered her an extension of probation. As opposed to refusing to perform a job duty, claimant merely declined to enter into a new contract with the employer on its proffered terms … . Although claimant’s refusal to sign the extension agreement could possibly be classified as her voluntarily leaving employment without good cause while the employer was offering continuing work, which would be a basis for denying unemployment insurance benefits …, the employer did not assert that claimant quit. Matter of Jackson, 2014 NY Slip Op 06237, 2nd Dept 9-18-14