Phoenix Attorney Jeffrey Phillips Is Ready To Take On New PLEA Cases

September 26, 2016 – – Five years ago, the Phoenix police union took on a legal battle against a conservative think tank in a dispute regarding pay for union workers. This battle finally came to an end recently, with the Arizona Supreme Court ruling that public money can be paid to public employees if they took on work representing their union. Phillips Dayes National Employment Law Firm PC, a law firm in Phoenix, AZ, expects that, as a result of this verdict, they will see a significant increase in cases of public employees looking for compensation.

Jeffrey Phillips, a partner in the Phillips Dayes Law Firm, says: “The legal battle was all about who was responsible for the payment of “release time” practice for unionized police officers. It has been a long, ongoing battle, and the verdict of the state supreme court has been received with both happiness and dismay from the different sides of the arguments. Either way, the verdict has now been made and we are ready to represent public officers to ensure they receive what they are due.”

The city of Phoenix had agreed with the police union that they would pay for “release time.” Some, however, felt that this violates the Constitution of the state, which stops public officers from making donations or gifts that could benefit private companies, associations, or individuals. Five years ago, the Goldwater Institute took the city on in an effort to end release time for police officers. According to them, taxpayer’s money was used improperly to pay for people working on behalf of the union.

However, a 3-2 majority decision in the Supreme Court made it clear that the labor contract of the city with the PLEA (Phoenix Law Enforcement Association) included release time. This is because the PLEA serves the public and hence benefits the city as a whole.

“The verdict was a close one,” adds Jeffrey Phillips, “with two out of the five justices dissenting. However, we believe that they made the right decision in the end. Release time has always been part of police officer’s overall compensation package, and this is something that should continue.”

When on release time, police officers generally work on department committees, negotiate about labor issues with city management, and represent their colleagues in disciplinary issues.

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Contact Phillips Dayes National Employment Law Firm PC:

Phillips Dayes
+1 800-917-4000
3101 N Central Ave #1100, Phoenix, AZ 85012, United States

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