NEPBA Secures Landmark Arbitration Victory for Norfolk County Corrections Supervisors
May 12, 2026
The New England Police Benevolent Association has secured a major arbitration victory on behalf of NEPBA Local 570, resulting in a landmark ruling that will provide additional earned time off for correctional supervisors assigned to the 5 & 2 work schedule.
In a decision issued on May 6, 2026, Arbitrator Gary D. Altman sustained the union’s grievance against the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, ruling that supervisors working the 5 & 2 schedule had not been properly equalized with employees working the 4 & 2 schedule as required under the collective bargaining agreement.
The arbitration centered around a longstanding workload disparity between the two schedules. Evidence presented during the hearing established that supervisors assigned to the 5 & 2 schedule worked approximately 17 more days annually than employees assigned to the 4 & 2 schedule, despite contractual language requiring that days off “shall equalize” between the two groups.
Through extensive preparation and the use of innovative mathematical models during arbitration, the union successfully demonstrated the inequity in workload distribution. The arbitrator ultimately ruled that the longstanding practice violated the “clear and unambiguous terms” of the parties’ agreement and ordered that the grievant receive equalized days off commencing from the filing of the grievance.
Based on current staffing levels, the award is expected to generate more than $100,000 annually in additional earned time off for NEPBA members assigned to the 5 & 2 schedule.
“This is a major victory for fairness, equity, and the hardworking correctional supervisors who have carried an unequal workload for far too long,” said Shaun Dewey, NEPBA Representative. “This ruling reinforces a simple principle, contract language matters. Our members deserve the protections and benefits they bargained for, and the NEPBA will continue fighting to ensure those rights are fully enforced.”
Attorney Gary G. Nolan, who represented the NEPBA in the matter, emphasized the broader significance of the ruling and the union’s commitment to protecting members’ quality of life.
“Just because something has always been done a certain way does not mean it’s being done right,” Nolan said. “Officers’ time off is extremely important, particularly considering the mounting individual pressures on law enforcement. Although a 30-year past practice might seem insurmountable, the NEPBA has consistently used its resources to challenge tough cases like this so that members’ most valuable asset — their time — is protected as much as possible.”
The NEPBA also recognized the efforts of Local 570 official Lt. James McQuaid, whose dedication and advocacy were instrumental throughout the grievance and arbitration process.
The decision marks another example of the NEPBA’s continued commitment to aggressively protecting the rights, working conditions, and contractual interests of correctional and law enforcement professionals throughout New England.
