In Stepp v. Review Board of the Indiana Employment Security Division, the laboratory technician refused to perform chemical examinations on vials with AIDS warnings; the court found that

• A. The employee's actions were unjustified.
• B. The employee was dismissed for just cause.
• C. The employee was protected by whistleblower status.
• D. The employee was entitled to unemployment benefits.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is what counts as just cause for dismissal in unemployment cases. Just cause covers conduct that shows a deliberate disregard for essential job duties or for safe and lawful workplace operation. In this situation, a laboratory technician refused to perform chemical examinations on vials that had AIDS warnings. Performing tests on hazardous materials is an essential duty in a lab, and employees are expected to follow reasonable instructions and safety procedures. Refusing to carry out these duties—especially without pursuing proper safety channels or alternatives provided by the employer—constitutes willful misconduct or serious insubordination. That is why the court treated the dismissal as just cause, meaning the employee would not be entitled to unemployment benefits on that basis. Whistleblower protection wouldn’t apply here unless the employee had properly reported a protected safety violation and faced retaliation; there’s no indication that occurred.