Dora W. Moore v. James G. Neeley, Commissioner of The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and U.S. Postal Service

This case involves a claim for unemployment compensation filed with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The claimant was initially denied unemployment benefits based on the Agency’s finding that she had been terminated for work related misconduct. First-level appeals from agency decisions are allowed within fifteen days. The claimant appealed and an inperson hearing was scheduled. She requested a re-scheduling of the hearing, and her request was accommodated. She then canceled the second scheduled hearing and requested a withdrawal of her unemployment claim. Later, she attempted to re-appeal the initial agency determination outside the
fifteen-day time limit. She subsequently requested an appeal of the first-level tribunal’s decision allowing her to withdraw her appeal. The second-level board found it lacked jurisdiction because the claimant had not filed her appeal within fifteen days of the determination. Plaintiff claimed she was denied procedural due process because her in-person hearing was not rescheduled. The chancery court affirmed the board’s finding that it lacked jurisdiction. For the following reasons, we affirm.