Resignation in the Face of Immediate Termination Constituted Termination by Final Agency Action (Reviewable by a Court)

The Third Department upheld the determination of the Division of State Police Hearing Board and the termination of the petitioner (a State Trooper). The fact that petitioner had resigned did not deprive the court of its review power, despite the resulting absence of a “final agency determination.”  The petitioner had been shown the superintendent’s termination determination and was told he would be terminated if he did not immediately resign.  Petitioner resigned. The Third Department held that resignation under such a circumstance is effectively a termination by a final agency action and is therefore reveiwable by a court:

… [W]e consider respondents’ argument that, since petitioner resigned, there was no final agency action over which the Court has jurisdiction. Although a resignation “would ordinarily be beyond our review, exceptions exist where . . . the resignation was allegedly ineffective and involuntary” … . It is undisputed that the Superintendent had signed a written decision terminating petitioner’s employment. Significantly, the document was handed to petitioner and he was then told that he had 10 minutes to accept an “option” of resigning. Under the narrow circumstances, petitioner was effectively terminated by a final agency action when he was handed the signed termination document. Matter of Lyons v Superintendent of State Police, Joseph D’Amico, 2015 NY Slip Op 04892, 3rd Dept 6-11-15