MICHAEL J. MCENERY, APPELLANT,
v.
UNEMPLOYMENT APPEALS COMMISSION AND NEWBERG IRRIGATION, INC., APPELLEES

Fla. 2d DCA | 2002-12-18
No. 2D01-5762
CASANUEVA and KELLY, JJ., concur.
835 So. 2d 290 Florida District Court of Appeal, Second District (2002)

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Holding

The court held that leaving work due to illness constitutes good cause for voluntary departure, entitling the employee to unemployment benefits.


Facts & Procedural History

Michael J. McEnery appealed the denial of unemployment compensation benefits after leaving his job. The appeals referee found he resigned, but the evi…

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Opinion of the Court
BLUE, Chief Judge.

BLUE, Chief Judge.

Michael J. McEnery appeals the denial of unemployment compensation benefits based on a finding that he voluntarily left his job without good cause. Because McEnery left work due to illness, which constitutes good cause, we reverse.

The appeals referee found that McEn-ery resigned. We accept this finding because it was supported by competent, substantial evidence. See Sienkiewicz v. Intrepid Powerboats, Inc., 774 So. 2d 739, 740 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000).

If the employer meets the burden of showing an employee’s voluntary departure, the employee must prove that he left for good cause in order to qualify for unemployment benefits. Lewis v. Lakeland Health Care Ctr., Inc., 685 So. 2d 876, 878 (Fla. 2d DCA 1996). Good cause “includes only such cause as is attributable to the employing unit or which consists of illness or disability of the individual requiring separation from his or her work.” § 443.101(1)(a)(1), Fla. Stat. (2000). “[T]he law permits an illness ... to be a good cause for voluntarily leaving a job.” Lewis, 685 So. 2d at 879 (internal quotation marks omitted). Based on the competent, substantial evidence showing that McEn-ery left work because of illness, we reverse the denial of unemployment compensation benefits.

Reversed and remanded.

CASANUEVA and KELLY, JJ., concur.


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