An administrative decision annulled and remanded for a new hearing based on a judicial finding that it is “affected by errors of law”

An administrative decision annulled and remanded for a new hearing based on a judicial finding that it is “affected by errors of law”

DeMaio v DiNapoli, 2016 NY Slip Op 02505, Appellate Division, Third Department

VHB, a correction officer, applied for performance of duty disability retirement benefits alleging that he was injured while escorting an inmate away from an altercation between the inmate and another correction officer. The application was initially denied by the Retirement System and VHB requested a hearing and redetermination.

Following the hearing, the Hearing Officer upheld the initial denial of VHB’s application for duty disability retirement, concluding that VHB had not meet his burden of proof of establishing each and every element necessary to sustain his application and that the initial determination was supported by substantial evidence. The Comptroller accepted the findings and conclusions of the Hearing Officer and VHB initiated a CPLR Article 78 proceeding.

The Appellate Division said that the Hearing Officer's determination, which was adopted by the Comptroller, was affected by errors of law.

The court explained that the Hearing Officer had improperly noted that the applicable standard of review was whether the initial determination was "supported by substantial evidence." Rather than a review of the initial determination, the Appellate Division said that such a hearing is conducted to allow the Comptroller to make a “redetermination” with “the same powers upon such hearing as upon the original application.”

In addition, said the court, “the Hearing Officer's determination misstated the applicable burden.” VHB was required to establish that he is incapacitated from performing his work-related duties “as the natural and proximate result of an injury, sustained in the performance . . . of his or her duties by, or as the natural and proximate result of any act of any inmate” [emphasis supplied by the court].

Further, the Appellate Division said it has repeatedly held that the relevant statute, Retirement and Social Security Law §607-c[a],requires that an applicant for duty disability retirement benefits demonstrate that his or her injuries were “caused by direct interaction with an inmate … and have specified that such injuries must be caused by some ‘affirmative act on the part of the inmate’ … there is no legal support for the Hearing Officer's enhancement of such burden by indicating that VHB was required to demonstrate "an intentional overt act of an inmate” (emphasis supplied by the court).

Accordingly, the court annulled the Comptroller’s determination and remanded the matter to the Comptroller for a new hearing.

The decision is posted on the Internet at:

http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_02505.htm

An application for retirement benefits must be timely delivered to and received by the retirement system to be operative

An application for retirement benefits must be timely delivered to and received by the retirement system to be operative

Biscardi v New York State and Local Retirement Sys., 2016 NY Slip Op 03238, Appellate Division, Third Department

Valerie J. Biscardi initially applied for disability retirement benefits pursuant to Retirement and Social Security Law Article 15 in February 2012. She, however, withdrew that application in March 2012 and in September 2012 filed an application for “service retirement.”

In May 2013, Biscardi’s attorney, contending that Biscardi had filed an application for disability retirement on September 19, 2012, inquired about the status of Biscardi’s application for “disability retirement.” The New York State and Local Retirement System [SLRS] advised him that there was no record that [Biscardi] had filed a subsequent application for "disability retirement benefits” on September 19, 2012.

Following an administrative hearing, the Hearing Officer determined that Biscardi had not established that she had filed a timely application for disability retirement benefits as required by Retirement and Social Security Law §605.* The Comptroller adopted the ALJ's determination and Biscardi appealed.

The Appellate Division affirmed the Comptroller’s decision.

An application for disability retirement benefits, said the court, “must be filed, as relevant here, ‘within three months from the last date the member was being paid on the payroll.’” Kathleen Nowak, Director of Disability Services for the Retirement System, testified that a search of the Retirement System's records found Biscardi's February 2012 disability retirement application and the March 2012 withdrawal letter, “but no subsequent disability retirement benefits application.”

Although Biscardi contended that her counsel “timely mailed a second application” to the Retirement System in September 2012, the Appellate Division said that "simply mailing an application does not constitute filing; rather, filing only occurs upon actual delivery to and receipt by [the Retirement System]."

Accordingly, said the court, “substantial evidence supports the Comptroller's determination that [Biscardi] failed to file a timely application and it will not be disturbed.”

* In Biscardi’s case, RSSL §605[b][2] required that she file her an application for disability retirement benefits "within three months from the last date the member was being paid on the payroll."

The decision is posted on the Internet at:

http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_03238.htm

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Unemployment insurance benefit denied where off-duty misconduct found to breach the standards of behavior expected of an employee in consideration of his or her duties

Unemployment insurance benefit denied where off-duty misconduct found to breach the standards of behavior expected of an employee in consideration of his or her duties

Hall (Commissioner of Labor), 2016 NY Slip Op 03797, Appellate Division, Third Department

An employee of the Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities [OPDD], Richard Hall, was arrested at his home for possession of marijuana. When OPDD learned of Hall’s arrest, it placed him on indefinite suspension. While on suspension, Hall applied for unemployment insurance benefits but was disqualified from receiving them based on a finding that he had engaged in disqualifying misconduct.

While on suspension from his position with OPDD, Hall pleaded guilty to criminal possession of marijuana in the fourth degree and, in settlement of the administrative disciplinary charges then pending against him, OPDD reinstated Hall to his position after he had been out of work for 15 months.

With respect to Hall's claim for unemployment insurance benefits, ultimately an Administrative Law Judge [ALJ] ruled, among other things, that Hall’s plea of guilty to the criminal charge amounted to misconduct disqualifying him from receiving benefits. The Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board sustained the ALJ's decision and Hall appealed the Board’s determination.

The Appellate Division affirmed the Board’s ruling.

Citing Matter of Sinker [Sweeney], 89 NY2d 485, the court explained that criminal convictions arising from conduct occurring outside the workplace have been found to constitute disqualifying misconduct where the conduct demonstrates a breach "of the standards of behavior to be reasonably expected by an employer in light of the nature of the employment involved."

Here, said the court, Hall’s job duties included dispensing medications to developmentally disabled individuals. Given the environment in which Hall worked, the Appellate Division said that it was reasonable for OPDD to expect that Hall would not illegally use or possess controlled substances. Clearly, said the court, Hall's criminal conduct posed a risk to his employer's mission and was detrimental to its interests.

Accordingly, the Appellate Division found that substantial evidence supports the Board's finding that Hall had engaged in disqualifying misconduct.

The decision is posted on the Internet at:

http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_03797.htm