An Iowa woman was granted unemployment pay from the state after she lost her job over viral video of her, drink in hand, climbing into a baseball stadium fountain.
Jessica McCoy, 25, of Des Moines, was on vacation in Kansas City when she went to a Royals baseball game August 5, 2013. She climbed into a fountain in the stadium grandstand and was pulled from the water by stadium security. She was charged with trespassing, resisting arrest and soliciting a police officer in connection with the incident. She spent the night in jail and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
McCoy returned to work at a bank in Beaverdale, Iowa where she was fired for reportedly violating the work policy against off-duty conduct that reflects negatively on her employer.
The Des Moines Register reports at an October 22 administrative hearing, McCoy admitted to being under the influence of alcohol during the fountain incident. She reportedly testified it seemed like a fun idea and that she did not realize the seriousness of the situation as it was unfolding.
The administrative law judge reportedly ruled that, while McCoy’s behavior was “certainly questionable on many levels,” it happened while she was on vacation, in another state and did not equate to substantial job-related misconduct.
The judge ruled in favor of granting McCoy unemployment benefits.
