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CCH® UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE — 4/23/14

Claimant denied benefits for threatening supervisors using reference to Arizona movie theater shooting

The claimant, a park district electrician, committed disqualifying misconduct when he violated the park district’s violence in the workplace policy by threatening several supervisors with violence by referring to a well-publicized shooting incident in Arizona. The park district’s violence policy forbade any comment creating a reasonable fear of injury to another person. The claimant’s remarks, referring to a violent fatal shooting incident that had occurred just weeks earlier, was directed individually to each of the foremen in the claimant’s presence. The remark was interpreted by the claimant’s supervisor, who was seen as a credible witness, as a threat to cause bodily harm. Benefits were denied (Ronald Baker v. DES, Ill. Ct. of App., No. 1-12-3669, March 14, 2014).