Form 1 NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD
THIRD DIVISION
Award No. 36774
Docket No. CL-37168
03-3-02-3-127

The Third Division consisted of the regular members and in addition Referee Rodney E. Dennis_when awardwas rendered.

(Transportation Communications International Union PARTIES TO DISPUTE:


STATEMENT OF CLAIM:




Form I Award No. 36774
Page 2 Docket No. CL-37168




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.




Claimant Burget Belgrave was awarded the position of Secretary 1 in the New York Engineering Department on July 12, 2000. She was disqualified from the position on August 2 and a claim protesting the disqualification was filed on August 4, 2000: The claim was discussed at all levels and denied by the Carrier. It is now before the Board for final and binding resolution.


The Board reviewed the record. Based on the documentation contained therein, we are compelled to conclude that the Carrier had sufficient substantive justification for disqualifying the Claimant from the Secretary 1 position. But in processing the disqualification, the Carrier failed to follow the procedure of holding a discovery conference with the Claimant prior to her disqualification. It appears from the record that the required conference was held on August 7, 2000, five days after the actual disqualification. Based on the Carrier's failure to appropriately follow the Rules in this instance, the Board has concluded that the Claimant should be awarded five days' pay at the straight time rate.

Form 1 Award No. 36774
Page 3 Docket No. CL-37168
03-3-02-3-127



      Claim sustained in accordance with the Findings.


                        ORDER


This Board, after consideration of the dispute identified above, hereby orders that an award favorable to the Claimant(s) be made. The Carrier is ordered to make the Award effective on or before 30 days following the postmark date the Award is transmitted to the parties.


                      NATIONAL RAILROAD ADJUSTMENT BOARD

                      By Order of Third Division


Dated at Chicago, Illinois, this 29th day of December 2003.