Nancy Barillaro and Nancy Fotia were employed in the inspection and trimming departments of Elwood Knitting Mills for approximately 16 years. Barillaro was laid off in September and Fotia in November. Both were offered the option of returning to work in March of the following year as knitting machine operators, but at an 18 percent reduction in pay. Neither accepted the offer. They argued that the offered work would have involved a loss in seniority and a substantial reduction in pay.
In addition, Fotia claimed that she was not familiar with the operation of the machine. Barillaro claimed that she was too short to operate the machine.
The Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Board decided that neither claimant was eligible to receive benefits because they refused offers of suitable work without good cause. Was the board correct in its ruling? Explain.
Barillaro v. Unemployment Compensation Bd. Of Review, 387 A.2d 1324 (PA)