MONROE COUNTY v. NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT

**What happened:** Monroe County Sheriff's Office took work duties that had been performed by union employees and reassigned them to non-union workers. Specifically, the sheriff's office moved security screening responsibilities away from unionized staff to employees who weren't part of the union. The union challenged this action, arguing it violated state employment law. **What the court decided:** The court sided with the union and against Monroe County. The appellate court upheld a decision by the Public Employment Relations Board that found the sheriff's office had violated Civil Service Law when it transferred these duties. The court rejected Monroe County's attempt to challenge this determination and confirmed that the reassignment was illegal. **Why this matters for workers:** This ruling protects union workers from having their job responsibilities unfairly stripped away and given to non-union employees. It reinforces that employers can't simply reassign union work to avoid dealing with unionized staff or their negotiated rights. For public sector workers especially, this decision strengthens the principle that work traditionally performed by union members is protected, and employers must follow proper legal procedures before making such changes to job duties.