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New Orleans City Civil Service: Your Rights On Appeal

by: Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (New Orleans office)

I am a New Orleans Civil Service employee. What are my rights if the city takes some action against me?

You have the right to appeal to the city’s Civil Service Commission many, but not all, adverse actions. Actions you can appeal include firing, forced retirement, demotion, suspension, fine, or pay reduction. Get a copy of the civil service rules to learn more about your rights. In addition to a civil service appeal, you may have other rights under city, state or federal law.

Does it matter how long I have worked for the city?

Yes. Generally, only permanent employees have the right to appeal to the Civil Service Commission. A permanent employee is someone who has finished his or her probation period. However, if you were the victim of illegal discrimination, or the victim of retaliation for reporting something illegal, you have the right to appeal even if you are not permanent.

What can I be disciplined for?

The City can discipline a permanent employee for "legal cause." This means that your conduct must have "impaired the efficiency and orderly operation of the public service" and your conduct must have been "reasonably and substantially" job-related.

Non-permanent employees have less protection. The City may not even give you a reason for firing you.

The City must always follow Civil Service rules. This is why it is a good idea to get a copy of the rules. The City must also give permanent employees constitutional "due process" rights. This means the right to notice before the City takes disciplinary action, with details about the charges, and the chance to object. The City also can’t punish you twice for the same thing.

How do I file an appeal?

In writing. Civil Service has forms you can fill out and file on your own. You can also write a letter and file that. Keep a copy of what you file, and be sure that your copy is "date-stamped" so you have proof of the date you filed your appeal.

Appeal on time. Your appeal should generally be filed within 30 days of the date of the disciplinary letter or the act of discrimination. If your appeal is late because of something you can’t control, file your appeal with the reason why it’s late and try to get a lawyer to help you. Examples: the letter did not tell you how long you had to appeal, or civil service lost your appeal The City's lawyers will try to get your appeal dismissed for being late.

Give details of discrimination or retaliation, if that’s part of your appeal. Under Civil Service rules you must be very specific in your appeal. Describe what happened in detail. Give names, dates and explanation about the discrimination or retaliation. If you have already filed an appeal but you did not give details, you can amend (add to) your appeal. You should do that as soon as possible. If you wait until your hearing to bring it up, the hearing officer will not let you talk about it.

What happens after I file my appeal?

The Civil Service Commission will assign your case to a "hearing examiner." This is a lawyer who acts like a judge at the hearing. He or she listens to witnesses and reports to the Commission.

What are my rights at the appeal hearing?

Your rights include those listed here.

Answer any motion filed against you.
Speak at any hearing.
Bring witnesses or documents to the hearing.
Have witnesses or documents brought by order ("subpoena"). You have to complete subpoena forms well before the hearing to get witnesses ordered to appear).
Postpone the hearing if needed. You must ask the hearing examiner and give a good reason.
Have a decision made in a reasonable period of time. The Commission is supposed to make a decision within a few months of the hearing. The Commission is often late. The courts are not likely to give you any relief unless the delay is very long.
Be represented by a lawyer (you may find a private attorney by checking the yellow pages, or you may be eligible for free legal services).


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	Last Reviewed On: 02/15/11

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Esto es solamente información, no es consejo legal.

This web site has been prepared for general information purposes only. The information on this web site is not legal advice. Legal advice depends on the specific facts of each situation. Some information in this web site may not be correct for where you are. The information in this web site is not guaranteed to be up-to-date. The information in this web site cannot replace the advice of competent legal counsel licensed in your state.

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