Marion Cty. Sheriff's Office v. Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council, Inc.

**Sheriff's Office Loses Appeal Over Suspended Deputy** This case involved Deputy Brian Brown, who was suspended for one day by the Marion County Sheriff's Office. The deputy's union, the Fraternal Order of Police, filed a grievance challenging the suspension and wanted to take the dispute to arbitration (a process where a neutral third party resolves workplace conflicts). The Sheriff's Office argued that this particular grievance could not be arbitrated under their union contract. An arbitrator ruled in favor of Deputy Brown and the union. The Sheriff's Office then sued to overturn this decision, but the trial court upheld the arbitration award. The Sheriff's Office appealed to a higher court, which also ruled against them in November 2009. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling reinforces that employers cannot easily avoid arbitration when union contracts require it. When workers have union representation and collective bargaining agreements, employers must follow the agreed-upon dispute resolution processes, even for disciplinary actions they believe are justified. This case shows that courts will generally support arbitration awards and won't let employers escape contractual obligations to resolve workplace disputes through arbitration. Union members can feel more confident that their grievance procedures will be respected and enforced.