United States v. New York

475 F. Supp. 1103, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9990, 21 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 30,314, 21 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1286
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. New York
DecidedSeptember 6, 1979
DocketNo. 77-CV-343
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 475 F. Supp. 1103 (United States v. New York) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. New York, 475 F. Supp. 1103, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9990, 21 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 30,314, 21 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1286 (N.D.N.Y. 1979).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

JAMES T. FOLEY, Chief Judge.

This action was commenced on September 8, 1977, by the Attorney General on behalf of the United States of America against the State of New York and William G. Connelie, Superintendent of the New York State Police, alleging a “pattern or practice” of discriminatory employment practices with respect to blacks, Spanishsurnamed Americans, and women in depri[1105]*1105vation of the full enjoyment of rights secured by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e et seq., the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 3701 et seq., the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972, as amended, 31 U.S.C. §§ 1221 et seq., and the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The Attorney General charges a pattern or practice of discrimination along with eight individual claims of employment discrimination in connection with the hiring and promotional practices of the New York State Police. In response, the State of New York and the New York State Police (hereinafter at times referred to as the “N.Y.S.P.”) assert that they have not engaged in any purposeful discrimination and that they have utilized a validated examination for appointments to the entry-level position of trooper.

More than a year prior to the filing of the complaint herein, the United States Department of Justice notified the State of New York that an investigation had begun concerning the employment practices of the New York State Police. Thereafter, on July 20, 1977, the Superintendent of the New York State Police was informed that the Attorney General had authorized the filing of a complaint based on that investigation. Attempts at voluntary compliance or conciliation failed, in part due to a state court ruling, Ruddy v. Connelie, 89 Misc.2d 413, 391 N.Y.S.2d 819 (Sup.Ct.Albany County 1977), aff’d, 61 A.D.2d 372, 402 N.Y.S.2d 245 (3d Dep’t 1978), which held that the New York State Constitution prohibited the appointment of state troopers from the current eligible list, established in June 1976 based on a competitive examination given in 1975, in any manner other than in strict compliance with its numerical order. See United States v. State of New York, 77-CV-343, at 2-3 (N.D.N.Y. November 18, 1977). Appointments to the New York State Police are made on the basis of merit and fitness from an eligible list established as a result of competitive examinations. See, e. g., N.Y.Const. art. V, § 6; N.Y.Civil Service Law § 61 (McKinney 1973). The nine individuals, white males, who had successfully challenged this effort by the New York State Police to hire members of minority groups without regard to the strict numerical order of the eligible list were subsequently joined in this lawsuit as parties-defendant. See United States v. State of New York, 77-CV-343 (N.D.N.Y. November 18,1977); United States v. State of New York, 77-CV-343 (N.D.N.Y. December 23, 1977).

Within days after the commencement of this action a new class of troopers was scheduled to be sworn and begin training at the New York State Police Academy in Albany, New York. Plaintiff’s motion for a temporary restraining order enjoining the New York State Police from appointing the members of this proposed class, who had already been sent appointment notices, was denied. This class of 156 troopers was sworn on September 19, 1977. Such appointments are made for a probationary period of one year after which time a trooper becomes a permanent appointee. 9 N.Y. C.R.R. §§ 475.1, 475.2 (June 27, 1962). Then, on October 25, 1977, in accordance, with the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended, and pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 3766(c)(2)(E) and (c)(3) the Court entered a preliminary injunction enjoining the United States from suspending payment of Law Enforcement Assistance Administration funds to the State of New York and enjoining the State of New York and Superintendent Connelie (hereinafter at times referred to as the “state defendants”) from making any further appointments to the position of trooper until such time as this action could be heard on the merits and a decision rendered by the Court. See generally United States v. City of Los Angeles, 595 F.2d 1386 (9th Cir. 1979).

Upon applications on behalf of the state defendants, this order was modified on January 25, 1978, and on June 16, 1978, to permit and provide for the appointment and training of two trooper classes. The need for these appointments was based on, among other reasons, the expected attrition [1106]*1106rate in the force and the upcoming 1980 Winter Olympics to be held in Lake Placid, New York. The order of January 25, 1978, provided for the appointment of a class of 150 persons in rank order from the current eligible list but also directed that in addition there be appointed 12 qualified blacks, 8 qualified Spanish-surnamed Americans (hereinafter at times referred to as “SSA’s”), see Finding of Fact No. 132, infra, and 4 qualified females. The order of June 16,1978, provided for the appointment of a class of 100 persons in rank order from the same eligible list and, again, an additional 18 qualified blacks and Spanish-surnamed Americans and 12 qualified females.' This order also terminated the future use of this eligible list. See generally N.Y.Civil Service Law § 56 (McKinney Supp.1978).

The trial of this action was concluded on July 21, 1978, after a total of 24 trial days. The submission with extensive briefs and detailed proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law necessarily took a long period of time before completion. Plaintiff’s proposed findings of fact number 494, while the state defendants have submitted 477 proposed findings of fact and 78 pages of rebuttal to plaintiff’s proposed findings of fact. There are a substantial number of proposed conclusions of law. The entire matter is now before the Court with jurisdiction predicated on 42 U.S.C. § 2000e— 6(b), 42 U.S.C. § 3766(c)(3), 31 U.S.C. § 1242(g), and 28 U.S.C. § 1345. See United States v. State of New York, 82 F.R.D. 2 (N.D.N.Y.1978).

In the interim, on November 21,1978, the Court entered an order permitting the State of New York and Superintendent Connelie to prepare, recruit, announce, and conduct an examination for the position of trooper solely for the purpose of appointing a single class consisting of 160 qualified persons including 40 qualified blacks and Spanish-surnamed Americans and 24 qualified females.

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475 F. Supp. 1103, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9990, 21 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 30,314, 21 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1286, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-new-york-nynd-1979.