Opinion
11-10-2016
In re Lesly NOEL, Petitioner–Appellant, v. Carmen BIANCO, etc., et al., Respondents–Respondents.
Law Office of Kevin P. Sheerin, Mineola (Kevin P. Sheerin of counsel), for appellant. James B. Henly, Brooklyn (Robert K. Drinan of counsel), for respondents.
Law Office of Kevin P. Sheerin, Mineola (Kevin P. Sheerin of counsel), for appellant.
James B. Henly, Brooklyn (Robert K. Drinan of counsel), for respondents.
Judgment, Supreme Court, New York County (Alice Schlesinger, J.), entered August 12, 2015, denying the petition seeking to vacate an arbitration award dated July 14, 2014 terminating petitioner's employment with respondent New York City Transit Authority upon a finding of misconduct, and dismissing the proceeding brought pursuant to CPLR article 75, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
The arbitration award is not subject to a heightened level of judicial scrutiny, because it was held pursuant to a voluntarily-entered collective bargaining agreement (see Matter of Motor Veh. Acc. Indem.
Corp. v. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 89 N.Y.2d 214, 223, 652 N.Y.S.2d 584, 674 N.E.2d 1349 [1996] ; Matter of Tarantino v. MTA N.Y. City Tr. Auth., 129 A.D.3d 738, 738, 8 N.Y.S.3d 923 [2d Dept.2015], lv. denied 26 N.Y.3d 917, 2016 WL 532637 [2016] ).
Petitioner failed to demonstrate that the award should be vacated under the applicable standard of review (see CPLR 7511[b][1] ; Matter of New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Assn. v. State of New York, 94 N.Y.2d 321, 326, 704 N.Y.S.2d 910, 726 N.E.2d 462 [1999] ; Hackett v. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, 86 N.Y.2d 146, 154–155, 630 N.Y.S.2d 274, 654 N.E.2d 95 [1995] ). Under that standard, courts are not permitted to review an arbitrator's findings of fact, including credibility determinations (see 94 N.Y.2d at 328, 704 N.Y.S.2d 910, 726 N.E.2d 462 ; Matter of New York City Tr. Auth. v. Transport Workers' Union of Am., Local 100, AFL–CIO, 6 N.Y.3d 332, 336, 812 N.Y.S.2d 413, 845 N.E.2d 1243 [2005] ). We perceive no reason to disturb the imposed penalty of termination (see generally 94 N.Y.2d at 326, 328, 704 N.Y.S.2d 910, 726 N.E.2d 462 ).
TOM, J.P., SWEENY, RICHTER, MANZANET–DANIELS, WEBBER, JJ., concur.