New Jersey Supreme Court Considers Arbitrator's Authority to Demote School Administrator
The New Jersey Supreme Court is hearing an appeal by Amada Sanjuan, an assistant high school principal, regarding the authority of an arbitrator under the Tenure Employees Hearing Law. This case emerged after Sanjuan's demotion following a 2020 incident where she claimed a fall in a stairway at Memorial High School was caused by a piece of paper, a claim contradicted by surveillance video.
The Appellate Division overturned the initial arbitration award, with Lester E. Taylor III, a partner at Taylor Law Group, noting, "It was appealed, and the Appellate Division overturned the arbitration award, essentially saying that the arbitrator exceeded his authority by demoting Ms. Sanjuan." Taylor also expressed concerns about the Appellate Division limiting the arbitrator's power, role, and responsibility on remand, highlighting the complexities surrounding the arbitrator's authority in such cases.