State ex rel. Merion v. Unemployment Compensation Board

68 N.E.2d 411, 45 Ohio Law. Abs. 614, 1943 Ohio App. LEXIS 808
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 30, 1943
DocketNo. 3543
StatusPublished

This text of 68 N.E.2d 411 (State ex rel. Merion v. Unemployment Compensation Board) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Merion v. Unemployment Compensation Board, 68 N.E.2d 411, 45 Ohio Law. Abs. 614, 1943 Ohio App. LEXIS 808 (Ohio Ct. App. 1943).

Opinion

[615]*615OPINION

By BARNES, P. J.

The above-entitled cause is now being determined as an error proceeding by reason of plaintiff’s appeal on questions of law from the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, Ohio.

This case grows out of a claim for benefits by one Charles H. Bentz, who had worked for the Columbian Building and Loan Company, having been hired by a volunteer board which was managing the company. The important dates are as follows:

May 23, 1932, Charles Henry Bentz entered the employment of the Columbian Building and Loan Association under contract of hire by a volunteer board which was managing the company.

March 25, 1935, the then Superintendent of Building and Loan Associations took charge of said association for liquidation.

December 16, 1936, the Unemployment Compensation Law was passed.

June 13, 1939, Charles Henry Bentz, who had been continuously employed up to this date, was dismissed by reason of necessity of reduction in personnel.

Shortly thereafter, Mr. Bentz filed a claim for benefits under the Unemployment Compensation Law.

After hearing before the Administrator and upon recommendation of the Legal Department, his claim for unemployment compensation was denied by the Administrator, on the grounds that the employment of the Superintendent of Building and Loan Associations was not employment covered by the provisions of the Ohio Unemployment Compensation Act.

The claimant, Mr. Bentz, appealed from this decision of the Administrator t.o the Board of Review. The claim was referred to a referee by the Board of Review and the referee [616]*616again denied the claim, on the grounds that the employment was not covered by the provisions of the act.

The claimant then appealed his claim directly to the Board of Review, of the Bureau of Unemployment Compensation. After a hearing before this Board, and by a two to one decision, the Board of Review reversed the decision of the Administrator and the referee and held that the employment by the Superintendent of Building and Loan Associations was employment within the terms of the act and that the Superintendent of Building and Loan Associations was the employer and subject to the provisions of the Unemployment Compensation Act, and allowed the claim of Charles Henry Bentz for the period to which he was entited under the provisions of the act.

Within the thirty day period, Charles S. Merion, Superintendent of Building and Loan Associations, filed his petition as the employer, in the Court of. Common Pleas of Franklin County, Ohio, asking that this decision of the Board of Review be reversed on. the ground that the decision was unlawful, unreasonable and against the manifest weight of the evidence. Briefs were filed and the case argued before Judge King on February 4, 1942. Late in October his decision sustaining the Board of Review was formally rendered and journalized.

The essential facts before the trial court were submitted on stipulation. There being no dispute on the facts, the question submitted is wholly one of law. The sole legal question for determination has been subdivided under three headings by counsel for appellant as follows:

“1\ Is Charles S. Merion, Superintendent of Building and Loan Associations and as such in charge of the liquidation of the Columbian Building and Loan Company as “employer” as that term is defined by Paragraph 1, of §1345-1 GC?

“2. Is the employment by Charles S. Merion, Superintendent of the Building and Loan Associations of the State of Ohio, of persons to assist him in th© liquidation of a Building and Loan Association found to be insolvent ‘employment’ as that term is defined by §1345-1 GC?

“3. Does such employment come within the specific exemption contained in sub-paragraph 4, of paragraph D §1345-1 GC?”

Plaintiff’s assignment of errors is set forth under three separately stated and numbered specifications. These may be [617]*617reclassified under the single claim that the finding and judgment of the Common Pleas Court is against the evidence and contrary to law.

It is conceded that state employees do not come under the provisions providing for unemployment compensation.

It is the claim of plaintiff-appellant that the Superintendent of Building and Loan Associations, being a state officer, acts for and on behalf of the state of Ohio; and further, that all persons assisting him in the liquidations of the Columbian Building and Loan Association are state employees and hence not entitled to unemployment compensation.

On the contrary, it is the contention of defendant-appellee that the trust estate of the assets of this Building and Loan' Association in liquidation is the employer, and as such is a liable employer Under the Unemployment Compensation Law; in other words, that Bentz was in employment under the act and was entitled, to benefits. Bentz and all other employees were paid out of the fund and not by the State.

The pertinent sections of the Code are §1345-l-b(l), §1345-1-c and 1345-1-c (E). The pertinent parts of these sections read as follows:

“Sec. 1345-l-b-(l) GC:

‘Employer’ means any individual or type or organization including any partnership, association, trust, estate, joint stock company, insurance company, or corporation, whether domestic or foreign, or the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, trustee, or the successor thereof * *

“Sec. 1345-1-c:

‘Employment’ means service, including service performed in interstate commerce, performed for remuneration under any contract of hire, written or oral, express or implied. * *

“Sec. 1345-1-c-(E) The term ‘employment’ shall not in-elude:

“ (4) Service performed in the employ of any governmental unit, municipal or public corporation, political subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States or of one or more states or political subdivisions in the exercise of purely governmental functions.”

The argument of both counsel for appellant and appellee revolves around the question as to whether or not the Superintendent, acting as liquidator, was an employer as that term is defined under the first part of the above quoted section of [618]*618the Code; and, second, the construction of the last section above quoted, and especially the words “in the exercise of purely governmental functions.”

Counsel for the plaintiff-appellee also cite many sections of the Eikenberry Law as they bear on the Superintendent’s' title, control, supervision and administration of the insolvent Building and Loan taken over for liquidation.

It is argued by plaintiff-appellant that the Superintendent of Building and Loans, being an official of the State, takes possession of the insolvent Building and Loan for the purpose of liquidation on behalf of the State, and thereafter all his acts are in the exercise of purely governmental func-. tions.

In support of appellant’s contention he relies principally upon three reported cases, as follows:

Snider v Fulton, Supt. of Banks, 44 Oh Ap, 238;

Wolf v Pulton, Supt. of Banks, 30 N. P. N. S. 238; affirmed by the Court of Appeals;

Farkas v Fulton, Supt. of Banks, 51 Oh Ap., 92.

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Bluebook (online)
68 N.E.2d 411, 45 Ohio Law. Abs. 614, 1943 Ohio App. LEXIS 808, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-merion-v-unemployment-compensation-board-ohioctapp-1943.