Coates v. City of New York
Coates, a former sanitation worker for the City of New York, was involuntarily retired due to an accident disability and subsequently sued to recover monetary compensation for unused terminal leave, accrued vacation time, and unscheduled holiday work periods. The Supreme Court, Queens County, initially granted Coates' motion for summary judgment, awarding him $3,406.53. The City of New York appealed this decision. The appellate court modified the order-judgment by reducing the award to $1,283.62, finding that the collective bargaining agreement did not stipulate cash payments for terminal leave and accrued vacation, nor did statutory authority mandate such benefits upon immediate retirement. However, the court affirmed the portion of the award pertaining to unscheduled holiday work periods, upholding the defendant's liability for that specific claim.