Lead Opinion
OPINION OF THE COURT
Memorandum.
The order of the Appellate Division should be reversed, with costs, and the matter remitted to that Court with directions to remand to respondent for further proceedings in accordance with this memorandum.
Yoga Vida NYC, Inc. operates a yoga studio in Manhattan. It offers classes taught by both staff instructors and non-staff instructors, and classifies the latter as independent contractors. In May 2010, the Commissioner of Labor issued a determination that Yoga Vida was liable for additional unemployment contributions, effective October 1, 2009, based on its finding that the non-staff instructors are employees.
“[Substantial evidence consists of proof within the whole record of such quality and quantity as to generate conviction in and persuade a fair and detached fact finder that, from that proof as a premise, a conclusion or ultimate fact may be extracted reasonably—probatively and logically” (300 Gramatan Ave. Assoc. v State Div. of Human Rights, 45 NY2d 176, 181 [1978]). Here, because the record as a whole does not demonstrate “that the employer exercises control over the results produced . . . [and] the means used to achieve the results” (Matter of Hertz Corp. [Commissioner of Labor], 2 NY3d 733, 735 [2004] [citation omitted]), the Board’s determination that the company exercised sufficient direction, supervision and control over the instructors to demonstrate an employment relationship is unsupported by substantial evidence.
The non-staff instructors make their own schedules and choose how they are paid (either hourly or on a percentage basis). Unlike staff instructors, who are paid regardless of whether anyone attends a class, the non-staff instructors are paid only if a certain number of students attend their classes. Additionally, in contrast to the staff instructors, who cannot work for competitor studios within certain geographical areas, the studio does not place any restrictions on where the non-staff teachers can teach, and the instructors are free to inform Yoga Vida students of classes they will teach at other locations so the students can follow them to another studio. Furthermore, only staff instructors, as distinct from non-staff instructors, are required to attend meetings or receive training.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I disagree with the majority’s conclusion that the determination of the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board is not supported by substantial evidence. Whether an employer-employee relationship exists “necessarily is a question of fact” (Matter of Villa Maria Inst. of Music [Ross], 54 NY2d 691, 692 [1981]; see Matter of Di Martino [Buffalo Courier Express Co.—Ross], 59 NY2d 638, 641 [1983]). The Board must determine whether the employer exercised control over the results produced or the means used to achieve the results, with control over the means being more important (see Matter of Empire State Towing & Recovery Assn., Inc. [Commissioner of Labor], 15 NY3d 433, 437 [2010]). Nevertheless, “no one factor is determinative” (Matter of Concourse Ophthalmology Assoc. [Roberts], 60 NY2d 734, 736 [1983]). We have stated that “the determination of the appeal board, if supported by substantial evidence on the record as a whole, is beyond further judicial review even though there is evidence in the record that would have supported a contrary conclusion” (id. [emphasis added]; see Matter of MNORX, Inc. [Ross], 46 NY2d 985, 986 [1979]).
The majority relies on the evidence in the record supporting a determination that Yoga Vida’s non-staff yoga instructors were independent contractors in concluding that the substantial evidence standard was not met (see majority mem at 1015). Yet the majority ignores the evidence in the record that does support the Board’s determination that the non-staff instruc
In summary, the majority has examined the evidence before the Board and concluded that the evidence weighs more heavily in favor of a conclusion that the non-staff instructors are independent contractors. It is the role of the Board, however, and not this Court, to weigh the factual evidence and arrive at a conclusion (see Villa Maria Inst. of Music, 54 NY2d at 693; MNORX, Inc., 46 NY2d at 986). If the evidence “reasonably supports the [B]oard’s choice, we may not interpose our judgment to reach a contrary conclusion” (MNORX, Inc., 46 NY2d at 986). We have described substantial evidence as “[m]ore than seeming or imaginary” but “less than a preponderance of the evidence” (300 Gramatan Ave. Assoc. v State Div. of Human Rights, 45 NY2d 176, 180 [1978]). We have further stated that a “practical test” for determining whether substantial evidence exists is to “measur[e] the evidence against the standard of sufficiency such as to require a court to submit it as a question of fact to a jury” (id. at 181).
Here, the evidence reasonably supports the Board’s conclusion that the non-staff instructors are Yoga Vida’s employees, “even though there is evidence in the record that would have supported a contrary conclusion” (Concourse Ophthalmology
Order reversed, with costs, and matter remitted to the Appellate Division, Third Department, with directions to remand to respondent Commissioner of Labor for further proceedings in accordance with the memorandum herein.
