(Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen PARTIES TO DISPUTE:


STATEMENT OF CLAIM: Claim of the General Committee of the Railroad Sig-


On behalf of A. Scanziani for payment of sick leave pay for July 14, 1972.

OPINION OF BOARD: Claimant was scheduled to start vacation on Monday,
July 17, 1972. On Friday, July 14, Claimant was out due to illness. Claimant filed for sick leave pay for Friday the 14th. Carrier has refused to pay Claimant based on its interpretation of Section 7 of the Sick Leave Agreement.

"SECTION 7 - Should an employe's scheduled vacation commence after a leave of absence for illness, the vacation shall be cancelled and rescheduled at a later date in accordance with the requirements of the service. Should an employe who is on vacation become ill, he must continue on his vacation and will not be entitled to any sick leave allowance during such vacation p on the employe's relief days but will be granted on the recognized holidays if an employe is off due to illness on such days. The sick leave allowance granted to the employes on a recognized holiday will be in lieu of compensation for the recognized h employe's sick leave for absence due to illness on the applicable holidays."

The Carrier contends that inasmuch as Claimant elected to take his vacation following his absence for illness he is estopped for claiming sick leave pay.

We cannot agree with the Carrier. There is nothing in the Agreement which gives the Carrier alternat cancel and reschedule the vacation. The refraining from the exercise of that right does not give rise to the right to withhold sick leave pay otherwise rightfully due under the Agreement.

I







That the Carrier and the Employes involved in this dispute are respectively Carrier and Employes within the meaning of the Railway Labor Act, as approved June 21, 1934;

That this Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein; and








                        By Order of Third Division


        ATTEST: Executive Secretary


Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 30th day of May 1975.