A whistleblowing employee of the Iowa City VA Health Care System who resigned over concerns with the agency’s treatment of veterans is entitled to unemployment benefits, an administrative law judge has ruled.

Declaring that former Veterans Affairs employee Perry Murfield faced “intolerable” work conditions, Administrative Law Judge Devon Lewis ruled that Murfield had “good cause” to quit his job.

State records indicate Murfied began his employment with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2013, helping veterans with transportation assistance.

When he started there, there was a backlog of requests from veterans needing transportation for medical appointments, and he allegedly found more than half a million dollars’ worth of unpaid ambulance bills that were piling up in a desk drawer.

Murfield allegedly worked through his lunch hour, and before and after his scheduled work day, in an attempt to clear the backlog.

Although other employees were supposed to assist Murfield with his work, some of them used their free time at work to engage in personal activities such as watching internet videos.

In November 2016, Murfield filed a complaint with the office of U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, but subsequently saw no improvement in the processing of veterans’ claims for transportation assistance.

In January 2017, some of Murfield’s colleagues resigned and the agency imposed a hiring freeze, adding to his workload. A few weeks later, Murfield asked his superiors what he should tell veterans who had been waiting 18 months or more for decisions on reimbursement for transportation expenses.

He resigned on March 3.

Although employees who voluntarily resign their positions aren’t typically entitled to unemployment benefits, exceptions are made for workers who quit because of intolerable working conditions.

Judge Lewis ruled that the extra work given to Murfield, without the backup and assistance he was promised when hired, created a significant change in the terms of his employment and fostered an intolerable work environment.

A spokesman for the Iowa City VA Health Care System declined to comment on Murfield's employment but said the system has purchased new vehicles and hired additional staff to help veterans with their transportation needs.

According to state records, other Iowans involved in recent appeal hearings over unemployment benefits include: