A case that the Indiana Supreme Court recently ruled on dealt with the question of whether a professor whose fixed-term contract expires becomes unemployed on a voluntary or involuntary basis. Indiana State University appointed William LaFief as an assistant professor of marketing for the 2004-2005 calendar year. After reappointing him for 2005-2006, the university subsequently advised LaFief that his contract would not be renewed again. LaFief subsequently filed for unemployment benefits, and the university challenged his eligibility, arguing that LaFief had agreed to a fixed term of employment and therefore was not "involuntarily unemployed" when his contract expired. The decision of the court on this particular case portrays how a growing list of courts are tending to side with faculty members who seek employment payments when their contracts are terminated through no fault of their own. Implications for higher education are discussed.