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October 07, 2010

Terms and conditions of the appointment

Terms and conditions of the appointment
Carney v Insetta, App. Div., 3rd Dept., 263 AD2d 743, motion for leave to appeal denied, 94 NY2d 753

How does one determine what an individual is entitled to as an employee?

In resolving the Carney case, the Appellate Division said: just look at what the individual was offered when he or she was appointed to the position.

Julie Carney was appointed to the position of Animal Control Officer by the City of Oneonta. Previously a “full time” position, Carney was appointed as a part-time employee on an hourly basis. Carney initially was to work at least 24 hours per week and was paid at an hourly rate -- $8 per hour. She was also provided with health insurance benefits. When her work schedule was reduced, Carney said that she was entitled to the “salaried position” and the fringe benefits described in Oneonta’s personnel manual.

Told that she was not entitled to such benefits because she was a part-time employee, Carney for “breach of contract.”

Eventually the issue came before the Appellate Division. The court commented that while “a significant portion” of the briefs submitted by the parties debated the meaning and significance of certain passages set out in the city’s personnel manual, the question of Carney’s entitlement to the benefits she sought was “readily resolved by looking to the terms of her appointment.”

The Appellate Division said that while the position of Animal Control Officer was a full-time, salaried position and, pursuant to the terms of the City’s personnel manual, the incumbent was entitled to certain additional benefits, such as sick leave and vacation time, the record clearly shows, and Carney concedes, she was hired on a part-time, hourly basis.

The court noted that notwithstanding any benefits that may have been available to previous appointees holding the full-time, salaried Animal Control Officer position, there was nothing in the record to indicate that such benefits ever were intended to apply to a part-time, hourly appointee such as Carney.

The fact that the Animal Control Officer title is a “covered position” in the personnel manual was deemed irrelevant, since Carney’s position and the position covered by the manual “is not one and the same.” Significantly, noted the Appellate Division, the benefits described in the personnel manual were not offered to Carney at the time of her appointment and thus could not have formed the basis for her acceptance of the position.

Unless certain rights and benefits are mandated and thus available to an individual as a matter of law or pursuant to a Taylor Law agreement, the employer may set the terms of the appointment, including compensation and entitlement to fringe benefits.

The individual, unless he or she is able to negotiate an alternative arrangement, may either accept or decline the appointment under the terms and conditions offered by the appointing authority.
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Transferring unit work

Transferring unit work
CSEA Local 1000 and Local 836, 32 PERB 3015

The City of Newburgh abolished its positions of animal control officers, who were represented by CSEA. The city unilaterally transferred the duties of the positions to the nonunit police officers represented by Local 836.

CSEA objected and filed an improper practice charge with PERB contending that the city had violated the Taylor Law when it unilaterally transferred “non-emergency” duties previously exclusively performed by the animal control officers.

Ultimately PERB affirmed its Director of Public Employment Practices and Representation’s ruling that “the abolishment of the unit positions was a legislative act by the City Council that was not reviewable under Section 209-a.1(d) of the Act.” PERB said that the Director “correctly found that this was a legislative action involving a nonmandatory subject of negotiation and was not violative of ... the Act.”
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PERB finds employer dismissed probationer because of union activity; orders employee to be given a second probationary period

PERB finds employer dismissed probationer because of union activity; orders employee to be given a second probationary period
CSEA Local 1000 and Westchester County, 32 PERB 3017

Westchester County terminated probationary employee Michael Holcomb.

CSEA objected, contending that Holcomb was discharged because of his participation in union-related “protected activities” in violation of the Taylor Law.

PERB’s administrative law judge [ALJ] ruled that Kenneth Grauer, Holcomb’s supervisor, wrote a negative evaluation that was “tainted by union animus” and that this contributed to Holcomb’s dismissal.

Westchester appealed, arguing that Holcomb’s separation “was motivated by only legitimate business reasons” and, further, Holcomb was not protected in his activities because “he was not a union representative and was not engaged in union-sanctioned activity.”

PERB agreed with the ALJ’s finding but said that the remedial order should be modified. “Grauer believed Holcomb to be a union activist and that belief contributed to his negative recommendation.” PERB said that action taken against a unit member based upon a belief can violate the Taylor Law, citing its ruling in Holbrook Fire Department, 30 PERB 3062.

PERB commented that “while it may be true that an employer is free to terminate a probationary employee for any cause or no cause at all, this principle plainly does not apply if the employee is terminated in violation of law.”

PERB directed Westchester to offer Holcomb a second probationary period under another supervisor. It also said that if Holcomb successfully completed this second probationary period, which should not be less than the minimum probationary period authorized, Westchester should compensate him for lost pay and benefits, “less any earnings or other compensation received by him” from the date of his probationary termination through the date of his reinstatement to his former title.
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New York Public Personnel Law Blog Editor Harvey Randall served as Principal Attorney, New York State Department of Civil Service; Director of Personnel, SUNY Central Administration; Director of Research, Governor’s Office of Employee Relations; and Staff Judge Advocate General, New York Guard. Consistent with the Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations, the material posted to this blog is presented with the understanding that neither the publisher nor NYPPL and, or, its staff and contributors are providing legal advice to the reader and in the event legal or other expert assistance is needed, the reader is urged to seek such advice from a knowledgeable professional.
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