Almost all NYS State Employees have civil service protections in place which restrict the manner in which they can be formally disciplined or fired by their employer. Through union contracts or the Civil Service Law, discipline must be enacted very precisely and with a defensible foundation, as there is a hearing process in place to ensure employees are disciplined only for good cause. While in the past primarily handled by union representatives and HR professionals, many parts of employee discipline, primarily arbitrations seeking to terminate employment, have become increasingly dominated by attorneys.

This CLE course will offer a primer on the process, highlighting important areas for both the employer and defense, from the initial misconduct through the conclusion of any arbitration process. Bryce Therrien has been handling employee discipline cases for 12 years, processing thousands of cases, including approximately 80 which have gone to a full formal hearing.