Iowa youth counselor fired for punching a combative kid won't get unemployment benefits

An Iowa youth counselor who was fired for hitting one of her clients has been denied unemployment benefits.

Jazmine Solis worked for Four Oaks Family & Children’s Services as a full-time youth counselor from March 2021 until she was fired in March 2023. She was one of four staff members working in a housing unit for 10 children ages 11 to 15.

According to state records, on March 6, some of the Four Oaks clients surrounded a staff member and Solis came to her colleague’s assistance. One of the youths then said to Solis, “We’re going to beat your f—ing a–,” at which point Solis allegedly said, “What gives you the right to beat my f—ing a—, but I can’t hit you back?”

Some of the clients then began pushing Solis, who allegedly responded by punching one of them, according to state records. Solis’ supervisor intervened to stop the fight, and Solis and a co-worker then retreated in an unsuccessful effort to de-escalate the situation.

The clients began running through the unit while throwing books on the ground and spraying hot water on the staff until the police were summoned.

Solis was suspended and later fired for violating a policy that prohibits staffers from engaging in verbal or physical altercations with clients.

In November 2022, she had been given a written warning that stated, “Jazmine will not make hurtful, sarcastic or challenging statements against clients.” The warning noted that she had made “threats of harm to clients” and had been “disrespecting and yelling at clients.”

Solis applied for unemployment benefits, which led to a recent hearing before Administrative Law Judge Carly Smith.

In deciding that Solis was not entitled to jobless benefits, Smith noted she was seen punching a youth during the March 6 incident, and noted there was “substantial and credible evidence” that she continued to violate company policy even after receiving a warning.

More unemployment cases

Other Iowans whose unemployment cases were recently decided include:

• Kirk Storm, who was a full-time crisis advocate for Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines from 1997 until he was forced to resign in January 2023. On Jan. 24, he was called to a private residence where a person in crisis was threatening to leave the house, placing themselves at risk. Storm told the family that because of the cold temperatures, they could hide the person’s clothing to keep them from leaving the house, according to state records. The next day, Storm was on another mental health crisis call, despite being told his services weren’t needed at the scene. He allegedly spoke to the individual in need while that person was calm and seated in a police car. The situation then escalated to the point where the individual was no longer calm. Storm’s application for jobless benefits was denied.
• Matu Gwee, who worked as a nursing assistant at Waterloo’s Ravenwood Specialty Care nursing home from 2013 through early April 2023 when she was fired for repeatedly sleeping on the job during the overnight shift, according to state records. On March 27 and again on April 6, she allegedly slid two chairs together to create a comfortable bed for herself and then went to sleep. In both instances, according to state records, she was observed by the home’s administrator, Augustus Busumbru, when he made his rounds shortly after midnight. Gwee had been reprimanded in October 2022 for sleeping on the job, according to state records. She was denied unemployment benefits, with the judge noting that her actions “demonstrated a disregard for the safety” of the residents in her care.
• Agok M. Banek, who worked as a nursing assistant at Des Moines’ Calvin Community nursing home until his firing in April for violating a female resident’s right to be treated considerately and respectfully. In March, two of Banek’s colleagues reported seeing him intentionally “agitating” a resident in the dining room and laughing at the woman as she became upset and tried to speak, according to state records. At that time, Banek had been prohibited from entering the woman’s room because of a previous history of conflict between the two. Banek was denied unemployment benefits.

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