Public Employee Press

Grievance cancels unjust suspension for rec worker


Recreation Specialist Karen Stallings won her right to return to work after she was unjustly suspended from her job in the Dept. of Parks and Recreation for 29 days.

A supervisor suspected that she was under the influence of alcohol, and even though she took and passed a breath alcohol test, the Local 299 member was suspended on May 2, 2013.

Stallings, who works at the Red Hook Recreation Center in Brooklyn, quickly contacted DC 37 Council Rep Raul Martinez, who filed a grievance on her behalf.

The union grievance called for the agency to reinstate Stallings, because management had not followed the appropriate review process, as stated in the collective bargaining agreement, before suspending her.

The grievance also called for the agency to compensate Stallings for the 29 days of pay she lost while she was suspended.

After the grievance procedure reached step 2 without a resolution, management from the Dept. of Parks and Recreation met with DC 37 and agreed to reinstate Stallings and compensate her for the lost wages.

She returned to her job at the Red Hook Recreation Center in June and has received the back pay.

"Stallings knows her rights. She was on top of the situation," said Martinez after the decision.

"Every member should read their union contract, know their rights and contact a union rep or local leader if they think there have been violations," Martinez said.