Legal Question in Employment Law in California

Check with your employer as to what their exact practices are. They should have informed you. If they have a civil service hearing board you probably would appeal it to the Board and the employer has the burden of proof and not you. I used to represent the City of Oakland in these types of cases and the common thread in almost all of the hearings was that the employee's testimony hurt them more than helped and the person's department did a poor job in bringing the charges and getting witnesses. It is well worth you while to speak to your union representative if you have one and/or an attorney experienced in these types of cases.