A. Robert Lowry, Referee


(E. W. Jefferson
PARTIES TO DISPVfSs
(Southern Railway Company

              3TAMRMR' (F Q.Albia "Carrier violated the Agreement at Chesblse, Georgia., rhea an August 1, 1978 it unjustly dismissed m

(S. W. Jefferson) Iran the service fate an alleged failure to protect
              my assignment.


For this violation, the Carrier shall be required to restore me to service with all rights unimpaired and compensate m for all loss of vagee, comeacing August 18, 1978, and _rontinning until each restora· tics is aecaepliahsd."

OPINIOA OF BOARD: The Claimant., Mr. &. W. Jefferson, Sr., employed as a
Claim Clark by the Carrier, vas incarcerated on June 13, 1978, for failure to comply with an order of the Superior Court a? Ovinaett Oounty, State of Georgia, to pay his ex-wife the am of $1,968.00 on or before Jane 1, 1978. On June 15, 1978, the Carrier suspended Claimant for 15 days for failure to protect his assignment caaneiseing at 7:30 AM June 14P 1978. Claimant failed to report to work. at the expiretioa of the ly day suspension and the Carrier an June 30, 1978, issued a second suspension of 30 days far failure to protect his assignment on June 30th. The second. suspension letter specifically provided that Claisnat would be considered as having abandoned his position and would be dismissed five service it he failed to report at the end of that suspension* Claimant flailed to report to nark an July 31, 19'r8, the cad of the second suspension. On August 1, 1978, Chrrier by letter formally dismissed Claimant free service.

Claimant vas subsequently released iron fail an August 6, 1978, sad he requested an Investigation into the propriety of his dismissal from aerrica, which vas held on August 17s, 1978. Dopy of the transcript of the investigation was made a part o! the record. A careful c~minatioa of the transcript indicates Claimsat was given a fair and impartial hearing an re-
required by the rules of the Agreement* Os August 25, 1978, Carrier confirmed by letter its previous decision dismissing Claimant free carries.
                      Award Number 23538 Page 2

                      Docket Number ms-23429


Claimant contended that it was through no fault of his that he was unable to protect his assignment, and, therefore, the penalty of dismissal was harsh and unfair to him. The record shorts the Carrier as being exceedingly fair with Claimant. When Claimant failed to protect his assignment on June 14, 19'(8, Carrier merely suspended him for 15 days and whey he failed to prated his assignment at the end of that suspension it suspended hit far another 30 days but put hit an notice that if he did not report for work at the end of the second suspension he world be dismissed !rest service. It is clear to this Board that Carrier exerMssd a great deal of oostpassiam for this etploye by giving him 45 days within which to clear up his problem with his ex-wife. Had he dom so, Claimant, world only have been confronted with a 15 day or no tsars than a 45 day suspension penalty. Tuns, we must conclude that Claimant mane was responsible far his tennre is fail. Under these circumstances we will not disturb the discipline.

FMIM: The Third Division of the Adjustment Board., after giving the
parties to this dispute due notice af hearing thereon, and
upon the whole record and all the evidence, finds and holds:

That the Carrier and the Hnployes Involved la this dispute are respectively Carrier sad Employes within the meaning of the pai7xay Tabor Act, as approved Jane 21, 1934;

That this Division a2 the Adjustment Hoard has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein; and

        That the Agreement was not violated.


                          A W A & D


        Chit denied.


                            NATIONAL RAILROAD AnTIJBTe7.' BOARD

                            By Order of Third Division


ATTEST:
      mcsautive 3earetary


Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 26th day of February 1982.

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