Sheriff Officers Ass'n v. Nassau County
The Sheriff Officers Association, Inc., representing Kathryn Ranieri, grieved Nassau County's decision to send Ranieri to an Independent Medical Examiner (IME) for an opinion on her ability to return to work. An arbitrator upheld the County's action, but the Supreme Court vacated this arbitration award, finding the arbitrator exceeded his authority. This appellate court reversed the Supreme Court's decision, determining that the arbitrator did not exceed his power. The court emphasized the limited scope of judicial review for arbitration awards, stating that an award must be upheld if it offers even a 'barely colorable justification' for the outcome and does not give a 'completely irrational construction' to the contract provisions. Thus, the arbitrator's original determination, upholding the County's actions, was reinstated.