In the case of Brown v. Cincinnati Public Schools, 2016 Ohio App. LEXIS 64, a former teacher sued her school board for breach of contract after the board failed to pay her $60,000 for accrued sick leave under the collective bargaining agreement. The appeals court held that, since the claims “arise from and are dependent upon” the collective bargaining agreement, the State Employment Relations Board has exclusive jurisdiction over the claims.
This decision is an interesting one for public employees as it suggests that a union employee’s sole recourse for a civil lawsuit arising under the collective bargaining agreement is through State Employment Relations Board, and not a court of law.
To read this case, please click here.
Authors: Matthew John Markling and Patrick Vrobel