Broke quitting-time rules? No unemployment for you!

Be sure employees know your rules for leaving work early. That way, an employee who violates the rules will have committed willful misconduct, disqualifying him from receiving unemployment compensation benefits.

Recent case: Mustafa was injured at work and couldn’t do his former job. His employer arranged for him to be assigned to light duty at a thrift store, paying the store so it received the benefit of his labor at no cost.

The thrift store explained its rules for work hours, emphasizing that employees could not leave early without permission. Mustafa was terminated after it was discovered he had left early without telling anyone.

He filed for unemployment compensation benefits. His request was denied because he knew the rules and willfully ignored them. (Elkhatib v. E.A. Sween, Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 2018)