Case Name: Wallace S. WOODARD, Appellant, v. FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1987-12-15
Citations: 518 So. 2d 336
Docket Number: No. BS-451
Parties: Wallace S. WOODARD, Appellant, v. FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, Appellee.
Judges: ZEHMER, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 518
Pages: 336–342

Head Matter:
Wallace S. WOODARD, Appellant, v. FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, Appellee.
No. BS-451.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Dec. 15, 1987.
Rehearing Denied Jan. 27, 1988.
Pamela L. Cooper of Meyer, Brooks and Cooper, P.A., Tallahassee, for appellant.
Gerald B. Jaski, Gen. Counsel, and Sonja P. Mathews, Associate Gen. Counsel, Florida State University, Tallahassee, for appel-lee.

Opinion:
THOMPSON, Judge.
Woodard appeals an order denying his request for an administrative hearing to contest his termination as a tenured professor at Florida State University. We affirm.
Woodard was charged by some of his students and former students with improper actions in his contact with them. In settlement and disposition of these charges and the pending disciplinary action against him, Woodard entered into a written agreement with the University dated November 14, 1985 in which Woodard agreed that he would be placed on compulsory disability leave status for the Spring semester of 1986 in accordance with the terms of Article 17.11, of the United Faculty of Florida/Board of Regents Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). He agreed to voluntarily participate in psychological counseling with psychiatric oversight by practitioners acceptable to the University and that he would not be eligible for employment at the University during the Summer term of 1986. He further agreed that he would successfully complete the program of treatment deemed necessary by his practitioners so that in the opinion of his psychologist/psychiatrist he would be able to return to teaching, research and service duties typically assigned and performed' by him prior to January 1985. An addendum to the November 14 agreement placed certain other limitations on Woodard's activities at Florida State University and his contact with students at the University. Both the agreement and the addendum were signed by Woodard and his attorney Pamela L. Cooper.
Article 17.11, the compulsory disability leave provision of the CBA, provides in part:
If the employee fails to fulfill the terms and conditions of the compulsory disability leave and/or is unable to return to work and perform assigned duties at the end of a compulsory leave period, the President or representative may, based upon the university's needs:
(a) extend the leave without pay;
(b) offer the employee part-time employment;
(c) request the employee's resignation; or
(d) release the employee from employment, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 15.1 and 15.10. (Emphasis supplied.)
The provisions of Articles 15.1 and 15.10 set out the procedure to be followed when disciplining and terminating an employee for just cause. However, Article 17.11(d) above makes it clear that a release from employment because of failure to fulfill the terms and conditions of compulsory disability leave is not a disciplinary matter.
The only issue for decision on this appeal is whether Woodard's request for hearing was timely. The determination of this question is dependent upon whether the notice of termination pursuant to the compulsory disability leave agreement which was sent to Woodard in care of his attorney was sufficient notice to Woodard requiring that a request for hearing be filed within 21 days. We find that the notice was sufficient. Both the compulsory disability leave agreement and the addendum to that agreement were signed by Woodard and by Pamela Cooper, his attorney. All subsequent contact between the University and Woodard was between Cooper and a university representative. After Woodard failed to comply with the compulsory disability leave agreement the University notified him, in care of his attorney, of his failure to comply and of its election to terminate his employment as a tenured professor pursuant to Article 17.11(d) of the CBA. The notice to Woodard in care of his attorney was received by Cooper and was duly forwarded to Woodard. In his letter to the University acknowledging receipt of the notice Woodard admits that Pamela Cooper was his attorney. Fla. Admin. Code Rule 28-5.111 provides that persons requesting a hearing on an agency decision which does or may determine their substantial interest shall file a petition with the agency within twenty-one (21) days from receipt of written notice of the decision. The word "person," however, should not be taken literally so as to require receipt of notice by the party. Fla. Admin. Code Rule 28-5.109 specifically provides that unless otherwise ordered by the presiding officer, service of every pleading and every other paper filed in a proceeding shall be made upon the party or his representative. Similarly, Fla.R.Civ.P. 1.080(b), relating service of pleadings and papers, even requires that when service is to be made upon a party represented by an attorney, service shall be made upon the attorney unless service upon the party is ordered by the court. Notice to his attorney and agent is notice to Woodard, and receipt by his attorney is receipt by Woodard. The time for filing a request for hearing had expired before any such request was made by Woodard or his attorney.
Accordingly, we affirm the order denying his request for an administrative hearing. AFFIRMED.
ZEHMER, J., concurs.
SHIVERS, J., dissents with written opinion.