Kendal J. Pabst, Petitioner,
v.
The Industrial Claim
Appeals Office of
the State of Colorado,
Respondent.
No. 91CA1682.
833 P.2d 64
Colorado
Court of Appeals,
Div. I.
May 21, 1992.
Kendal J. Pabst, pro se.
Gale A. Norton, Atty. Gen., Raymond T. Slaughter, Chief Deputy
Atty. Gen., Timothy M. Tymkovich, Sol. Gen., John R. Parsons, Asst.
Atty. Gen., Denver, Colo., for respondent.
HUME, Judge.
Kendal J. Pabst, claimant, seeks review of a final order of the
Industrial Claim Appeals Panel which disqualified him from the
receipt of unemployment compensation benefits. We affirm.
The deputy disqualified claimant for failure to meet established
job performance standards. See Sec. 8-73-108(5)(e)(XX), C.R.S.
(1986 Repl.Vol. 3B).
On administrative review of that ruling, a hearing officer found
that claimant was not performing his job in a manner which satisfied
employer and that claimant knew about employer's concerns following
a discussion on January 14, 1991 about his performance. The hearing
officer further found that claimant was discharged in February 1991
because he had not made the desired improvement in his performance.
However, she nevertheless concluded that claimant had not been made
aware that his job "was in jeopardy" if he failed to improve.
Consequently, she concluded that claimant had failed to act
volitionally and was not at fault for his separation.
Thus, the hearing officer awarded claimant benefits pursuant to
Sec. 8-73-108(4), C.R.S. (1986 Repl.Vol. 3B). The Panel, however,
reversed the hearing officer and disqualified claimant for failure
to meet established job performance standards.
Claimant contends the Panel erred in disqualifying him from the
receipt of benefits. Relying on Zelingers v. Industrial
Commission, 679 P.2d 608 (Colo.App.1984), he argues that because
he was not warned that his job was in jeopardy, he did not act
volitionally in failing to meet any job performance standards and
therefore was not at fault for his separation. Consequently, he
argues that he should be awarded benefits pursuant to Sec.
8-73-108(4). We find no merit to this argument.
Section 8-73-108(5)(e)(XX) provides for a disqualification if a
claimant has been discharged for failing to meet established job
performance standards. All that is required to establish a
disqualification pursuant to Sec. 8-73-108(5)(e)(XX) is that
claimant did not do the job for which he was hired and which he knew
was expected of him. See Dawson v. Industrial Commission, 660
P.2d 924 (Colo.App.1983).
Here, the hearing officer found that claimant knew what was
expected of him, at least as of January 14, 1991. The hearing
officer further found that claimant did not satisfactorily perform
the job thereafter. These findings are sufficient to support a
disqualification pursuant to Sec. 8-73-108(5)(e)(XX).
Contrary to claimant's argument, we hold that, if the Dawson
criteria are met, there is no requirement that a claimant be
explicitly warned that his "job is in jeopardy" if his performance
does not improve in order to support a disqualification for failure
to meet established job performance standards. Further, we are unpersuaded that our decision in Zelingers v. Industrial
Commission, supra, mandates an award of benefits to claimant.
That case concerned an employee who was granted at least tacit
permission to miss work prior to being terminated. No such
misleading inconsistency exists here.
Since the hearing officer's findings support a disqualification
pursuant to Sec. 8-73-108(5)(e)(XX), we will not disturb the Panel's
order. Section 8-74-107(6), C.R.S. (1986 Repl.Vol. 3B).
We have considered and find no merit in claimant's other
arguments.
Order affirmed.
Pierce and Rothenberg, JJ., concur.