Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
THIRD DIVISION
Award No. 32122
Docket No. SG-32856
97-3-96-3-201

The Third Division consisted of the regular members and in addition Referee John H. Abernathy when award was rendered.

(Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen PARTIES TO DISPUTE: (CSX Transportation, Inc. (former Baltimore and ( Ohio Railroad Company)

STATEMENT OF CLAIM:



FINDINGS:

The Third Division of the Adjustment Board, upon the whole record and all the evidence, finds that:

The carrier or carriers and the employee or employees involved in this dispute are respectively carrier and employee within the meaning of the Railway Labor Act, as approved June 21, 1934.

This Division of the Adjustment Board has jurisdiction over the dispute involved herein.


Form 1 Award No. 32122
Page 2 Docket No. SG-32856
97-3-96-3-201

Claimant received permission from his immediate Supervisor to be absent from work on May 11, 1994 so he could appear in court that day. Claimant did not report for work on May 11. It is undisputed that Claimant also did not report for work the neat day, May 12. Claimant contends he had permission from his Supervisor to be absent on May 12. The Supervisor denied that Claimant ever asked to be off on May 12 and testified he never approved Claimant's absence on that date. The Hearing Officer determined that permission to be absent on May 12 had neither been sought, nor granted. Claimant was assessed a ten day suspension.


The Board concludes that Claimant was afforded a fair and impartial Hearing. The Hearing Officer based his decision in part on his evaluation of the credibility of witnesses who gave conflicting testimony. It is not the function of this Board to make credibility determinations. Credibility determinations were properly made by the Hearing Officer who received live testimony and observed the demeanor of the witnesses. Nor is it the function of this Board to overturn a Hearing Officer's credibility determinations which are supported by substantial evidence, as here.








This Board, after consideration of the dispute identified above, hereby orders that an award favorable to the Claimants) not be made.



                      By Order of Third Division


Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 13th day of August 1997.