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Recently I’ve seen it more and more often that everyone seems to be forgetting that
civil servants have rights. If you’re a civil servant in New York State and your supervisor
trying to terminate you for whatever reason, you may have the right to what’s called
an article 75 hearing. It’s very similar to the hearing a teacher goes to when they
are trying to keep their tenure and fight being fired. It’s a full hearing, full due
process; it lets you lay out all the reasons why you should not be fired.
The sad truth is a lot of the unions right now they are very overworked. Some of them
are maybe just collecting their dues and not really providing you the representation you
deserve after all these years, they let these things fall through the cracks sometimes.
A lot of civil servants are losing their jobs without requesting their hearing, it makes
no sense. You also have the right to private counsel at these hearings, and that’s very
important because the union attorneys, some of them are very over worked. They are good
people who try to do a great job but if you have 200 cases, you just don’t have the
time to prepare. Honestly it’s your livelihood you deserve an attorney who will prepare your
case, go over the documents more than two days ahead. I mean these preparations it takes
weeks for some of these things; they will work with you to build your comfort level
while you are testifying. But keep an eye on your case and make sure the arbitrator
is really towing the line of the law as well. A civil service job is an incredible value;
it’s your livelihood you have to take steps to protect it. If you don’t your just throwing
it away, take care and good luck.