A former Allegheny County Orphans’ Court employee who was fired for having a relationship with an inmate and then hiding the inmate’s car and stashing $80,000 inside it may continue receiving unemployment compensation benefits, a Pennsylvania appeals court has ruled.

A unanimous three-judge panel of the Commonwealth Court on Wednesday determined that the fired court clerk remained eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. The decision in County of Allegheny Orphans’ Court v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review affirmed a ruling by the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review.