Judge denies jobless aid for Iowa man who passed out at work ‘happy hour’ event

An Iowa man who was fired after passing out at a work-assigned “happy hour” event at a brewery is not entitled to jobless benefits, a judge has ruled.

State records indicate Garrett Lomeli worked as an area manager for Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, a wine wholesaler in Urbandale, until his dismissal in early July.

On June 25, Lomeli worked a full day and then drove from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids on a work assignment, according to state records filed by Southern Glazer’s. While in Cedar Rapids, Lomeli was tasked with participating in a work-related “happy hour” social event hosted by a supplier at a Cedar Rapids brewery.

At the event, Lomeli consumed four or five glasses of wine — roughly the equivalent of one standard-size bottle — and then passed out at the event, according to Southern Glazer’s report to the state. One of the other attendees then took photos of Lomeli in his passed-out state and forwarded them to the human resources department of Southern Glazer’s in connection with a complaint, according to state records.

According to Southern Glazer’s, Lomeli later attributed his condition to the combination of wine and prescribed medications that can cause drowsiness.

Southern Glazer’s fired Lomeli and then contested his application for unemployment benefits. That led to a recent hearing before Administrative Law Judge James E. Timberland.

The judge sided with Southern Glazer’s, citing Lomeli’s “wantonly careless conduct” at the “happy hour” event.

“It was possible to fully participate in the wine and spirits industry relationship-building social event without recklessly consuming the equivalent of a bottle of wine, an intoxicating quantity even in the absence of any medication interaction,” Timberland stated in his ruling. “A reasonable person would be mindful that the underlying purpose of the work-related social event was to strengthen business relationships. … A reasonable person would conclude that Mr. Lomeli’s conduct had a negative impact on the employer’s reputation.”

This article first appeared in the Iowa Capital Dispatch.