In re the Arbitration between County of Fulton & Civil Service Employees Ass'n

**County of Fulton v. Civil Service Employees Association** This case involved a dispute between Fulton County and its civil service workers' union over whether certain employment issues had to be resolved through arbitration. The union and county had an agreement that required most workplace disputes to go through arbitration rather than court proceedings. The court decided in favor of the county, ruling that arbitration agreements cannot override specific Civil Service Law requirements about probationary periods for government employees. The court explained that these civil service laws have legal force that cannot be waived or changed through private arbitration clauses, even when both parties previously agreed to use arbitration. **What this means for workers:** Government employees should understand that certain employment protections established by civil service laws cannot be bargained away, even through union agreements that include arbitration clauses. While arbitration agreements are generally binding, they cannot override fundamental civil service protections like minimum probationary periods. This ruling reinforces that some employment rights for public sector workers are protected by law regardless of what agreements unions and employers might reach. However, this protection specifically applies to civil service employees and may not extend to private sector workers.