Employee found guilty of providing sensitive information about a narcotics investigation dismissed from her position with the police department

Employee found guilty of providing sensitive information about a narcotics investigation dismissed from her position with the police department
Matter of Villar v Kelly, 2011 NY Slip Op 02058, Appellate Division, First Department

The New York City Commissioner of Police dismissed Maria Villar from her position after finding that she had “wrongfully discussed and divulged official department business” involving sensitive information concerning an investigation.

The Appellate Division sustained the Commissioner’s determination and the penalty imposed. The court found that the decision to dismiss Villar was supported by substantial evidence.

The court noted that “Given the risk to the general public arising from the passing of sensitive information about a narcotics case to another subject of the same ongoing narcotics investigation, the penalty of dismissal does not shock our sense of fairness.”

The decision is posted on the Internet at:
http://www.courts.state.ny.us/reporter/3dseries/2011/2011_02058.htm
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Legislative immunity bars unlawful discrimination lawsuit

Legislative immunity bars unlawful discrimination lawsuit
Almonte v. City of Long Beach, 478 F. 3d 10

In a civil rights and wrongful discharge case based on the members of the City of Long Beach’s city council voting to eliminate the funding for a number of positions, a federal district court rejected Long Beach’s motion to dismiss the complaint.

The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, reversed the lower court’s decision.

The Circuit Court said that Legislative immunity applies not only to the council members' budget vote to eliminate funding the positions in question, but also to any discussions and agreements members may have had regarding the new budget prior to the vote, regardless of whether those discussions and agreements took place in secret.

The decision is posted on the Internet at:
http://nypublicpersonnellawarchives.blogspot.com/2007/02/united-states-cour-t-of-appeals-2-for.html
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Rules of the Civil Service Commission providing for separate Layoff Units for law enforcement personnel employed by Environmental Conservation

Rules of the Civil Service Commission providing for separate Layoff Units for law enforcement personnel employed by Environmental Conservation
Source: New York State Register March 23, 2011 - Volume XXXIII, Issue 12

The New York State Civil Service Commission has adopted rules providing for the Agency Law Enforcement Services negotiating unit of the Department of Environmental being designated separate units for the purposes of suspension, demotion of displacement (layoff units) pursuant to §§80 and 80-a of the Civil Service Law.

The text of rule may be obtained from Ms. Shirley LaPlante, NYS Department of Civil Service, AESSOB, Albany, NY 12239, (518) 473-6598, email: shirley.laplante@cs.state.ny.us

The Civil Service Commission did not receive any public comment concerning this change during the comment period.
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Four-month statute of limitations for filing an Article 78 petition not tolled while individual pursues his or her administrative remedies

Four-month statute of limitations for filing an Article 78 petition not tolled while individual pursues his or her administrative remedies
Matter of Murane v Department of Educ. of the City of New York, 2011 NY Slip Op 02054, Appellate Division, First Department

Jennifer Murane appealed the Supreme Court’s dismissal of her Article 78 petition seeking to annul her termination as a probationary teacher by the New York City Department of Education, to have her year-end unsatisfactory rating expunged from her record and to direct her reinstatement to her position.

The Appellate Division ruled that Supreme Court correctly ruled that her challenge to her termination as a probationary teacher was untimely, not having be brought within four-months of the effective date of her termination. The fact that Murane had pursued her administrative remedies, said the court, did not toll the four-month statute of limitations for filing an Article 78 action.

Although Murane’s petition for judicial review of her unsatisfactory performance rating was not untimely, the Appellate Division said that she “failed to show that the rating was arbitrary and capricious or made in bad faith.” Detailed observation reports by the principal and assistant principal describing her poor performance in class management, engagement of students, and lesson planning, provided a rational basis for the rating.

As to Murane’s claim of “bad faith,” the court ruled that her contention that the principal was biased against her was "speculative and insufficient to establish bad faith."

The decision is posted on the Internet at: http://www.courts.state.ny.us/reporter/3dseries/2011/2011_02054.htm
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Tests for determining the “arbitrability” of Taylor Law contract provisions

Tests for determining the “arbitrability” of Taylor Law contract provisions
Odessa-Montour CSD v Odessa-Montour Teachers Asso., 271 AD2d 931

The Odessa-Montour decision by the Appellate Division, Third Department applied the guidelines set out in the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Watertown City School District v Watertown Education Association, 93 NY2d 132. Watertown addresses issues involving demands for arbitrating alleged violations of Taylor Law agreements. The ruling also suggests that Watertown may not be as much of a closed door to obtaining a stay arbitration involving grievances arising from alleged violations of Taylor Law agreements as some may believe.

In Watertown the Court of Appeals held that any anti-arbitrational presumption implied by its previous ruling in the Liverpool case, [Liverpool Central School District v United Liverpool Faculty Association, 42 NY2d 509], is no longer justified in the public sector labor environment.

In applying the Watertown ruling in deciding Odessa-Montour, the Appellate Division signaled that Watertown does not mean that every grievance flowing from alleged violations of Taylor Law agreements are automatically arbitrable. The Appellate Division explained that the Court of Appeal’s decision in Watertown indicates only that the anti-arbitrational presumption is no longer valid -- two tests must still be met:

1. The court must be satisfied that the Taylor Law authorizes arbitration of the particular subject matter; and

2. The parties agreed by the terms of their particular arbitration clause to refer such matter to arbitration.

Unless both tests are satisfied, courts retain authority to issue a stay of arbitration pursuant to Section 7503 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules. How did the Appellate Division apply these tests in resolving the Odessa-Montour appeal?

The decision indicates that when Jerry Burris retired from his position with the Odessa-Montour Central School District he decided to terminate his individual health insurance coverage in the district’s health insurance plan. Upon his retirement, Burris’ spouse, who was also employed by the district, enrolled him for dependent coverage under her health insurance coverage.

Seven years passed. Burris’ spouse requested, and was granted, a leave of absence without pay from her position with the district. Burris asked the district to re-enroll him once again in its health insurance plan -- with individual coverage. The third party plan administrator, however, denied the request because Burris had waived his right to individual coverage in favor of dependent coverage at the time of his retirement.

The Odessa-Montour Teachers Association [Association] filed a grievance, contending that rejecting Burris’ request for re-enrollment in the plan constituted a violation of its Taylor Law contract. Eventually the Association submitted the grievance to arbitration in accordance with the contract grievance procedure.

The district objected and filed a petition pursuant to Article 75 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules seeking an order barring the submission of the matter to arbitration. State Supreme Court Justice Samuel J. Castellino granted the stay.

The Association appealed, arguing that the district had agreed to arbitrate the issue of a retiree’s ability to change his or her health insurance enrollment. It made the following arguments in support of its claim:

1. The Taylor Law agreement allocates the costs of health insurance premiums between district and its retirees.

2. A clause in the agreement refers to the health insurance administrative manual and thus makes the health plan administrator’s decision to deny Burris re-enrollment ... is subject to arbitration.

3. The contract defines the term grievance as a claim by any teacher or group of teachers that there is a violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of this Agreement and the district concedes that retirees are included in the definition of teacher within the meaning of the collective bargaining agreement.

4. The collective bargaining agreement contained a broad arbitration clause.

The Appellate Division said that the question presented to the court to resolve is whether or not the parties agreed to arbitrate the issue.

The court said that [i]n light of the narrow arbitration clause in the collective bargaining agreement at issue and Burris’ status as a seven-year retiree who voluntarily opted out of health insurance coverage at the time of retirement, we agree with Supreme Court’s ruling that the subject dispute is not subject to arbitration under the parties’ collective bargaining agreement.

Referring to Watertown, the Appellate Division observed that when considering a dispute as to whether a particular grievance is outside a collective bargaining agreement, a court should merely determine whether there is a reasonable relationship between the subject matter of the dispute and the general subject matter of the [collective bargaining agreement].

Its conclusion: no reasonable relationship exists between the subject matter of the instant dispute -- a retiree’s attempt to re-enroll in a health insurance plan, which he voluntarily opted out of seven years earlier -- and the general subject matter of the collective bargaining agreement.
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