A Pennsylvania appellate court Thursday upheld an arbitration award for a sheriff’s deputy who said her employer violated a collective bargaining agreement when it took away leave time because she attended medical appointments for a work injury during work hours.
The Commonwealth Court affirmed the arbitration award for Lehigh County Sheriff’s Deputy Emily Cordes, who suffered a torn ligament in August 2018 while serving a warrant.
After a brief leave, Ms. Cordes continued medical treatment by attending outpatient rehabilitation, with some appointments occurring during her scheduled work shifts.
Her employer, Lehigh County, told Ms. Cordes she would have to attend her appointments during nonwork hours, but the deputy continued to attend appointments during work shifts, prompting the county to take away some of her accrued leave time.
Ms. Cordes filed a grievance, and an arbitrator found for the Lehigh County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association on her behalf, determining that the county violated the collective bargaining agreement.
The county asked a trial court to vacate the arbitration award, but a judge upheld the decision.