What constitutes willful misconduct?

• A. Any accidental error in procedure.
• B. Minor mistakes without violations.
• C. Any action by an employee to willfully violate NRC requirements or cause the company to be in violation.
• D. Refusing to work overtime.

Answer: (C)

Willful misconduct means deliberate, intentional actions by an employee to violate NRC requirements or to cause the company to violate them. This goes beyond mistakes or accidental slips—there must be purposeful intent to disobey or to create a violation of safety rules or regulatory obligations.

An accidental error isn’t willful because there’s no intent to violate. Minor mistakes without violations aren’t willful for the same reason. Refusing to work overtime isn’t inherently willful misconduct unless it’s done with the intent to violate NRC requirements or to cause the company to violate them; by itself it doesn’t demonstrate the required intent.

So the choice describing actions taken with the purpose of violating NRC requirements or causing a violation best captures willful misconduct.