BEFORE PUBLIC LAW BOARD NO. 7007
BROTHERHOOD OF MAINTENANCE OF WAY EMPLOYES
and
MASSACHUSETTS BAY COMMUTER RAILROAD
Case No. 20
STATEMENT OF CLAIM:
Carrier's dismissal of Claimant D. Holloway was arbitrary, extremely harsh, and
not based on the facts developed at the hearing. The Claimant should be
immediately returned to work and compensated for all lost wages and benefits.
FINDINGS:
By letter dated March 4, 2008, the Claimant was directed to appear at a formal
investigation on charges that the Claimant allegedly had violated the AWOL, Excessive
Absenteeism, and Pattern Absenteeism sections of the Carrier's Attendance Policy, as
well as Rules 4(a), 4(c), and 17(b) of the Carrier's Code of Conduct when she was absent
from work on February 8, February I 1-14, February 18, February 22, and February 25 -
March 5, 2008. Afler a postponement, the investigation was conducted on April 1, 2008.
By letter dated April 10, 2008, the Claimant was notified that as a result of the
investigation, she had been found guilty as charged, and she was being dismissed from
the Carrier's service. The Organization thereafter fled a claim on the Claimant's behalf,
challenging the Carrier's decision to discharge her. The Carrier denied the claim.
The Carrier initially contends that on October 29, 2007, the Claimant waived a
formal investigation and was assessed a ten-day suspension and a final warning, which
specified that if the Claimant were to again "trip" the policy within nine months of
signing the waiver, she would be subject to dismissal. The Carrier asserts that the
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accumulated occurrences during February 2008, including patterned absences, exceed the
"three in thirty" threshold described in the Attendance Policy.
The Carrier points out that the AWOL occurrences can be the basis of separate
charges, and the February 24-March 5 absences were not considered, due to the Carrier's
acceptance of documentation relating to these absences.
The Carrier then addresses the Organization's position that the Carrier had not
proven that the Claimant was AWOL on February 8 and 15, 2008, due to a "corrected"
time card reflecting that she had "called in" absent/sick and then was marked as AWOL.
The Carrier emphasizes that even assuming a call-in was mishandled, the remainder of
the Claimant's uncontested absences constituted a violation of the Attendance Policy.
The Carrier goes on to maintain that, contrary to the Organization's assertion,
there is no conflict between the Attendance Policy and Rule 16. The Carrier her
argues that the record shows that the Carrier fairly administered the Attendance Policy in
the Claimant's case, including giving the Claimant several formal and informal warnings
about the consequences of continued attendance issues and issuing directives that the
Claimant seek help from the EAP for any issues that may affect her ability to meet
attendance requirements.
The Carrier points out that the record shows that the Claimant compiled a total of
223 absences during the period from August 5, 2003, and February 25, 2008. The Carrier
emphasizes that whether excused or not, the Claimant missed a year's worth of work
during this period. The Carrier maintains that the hearing officer considered the
Claimant's reasons for some of her absences, as well as her assertion that she was not
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purposely remiss in her attendance obligations, but the hearing officer found that there
was no compelling reason to accept them. The Carrier insists that this decision was
within the hearing officer's purview.
The Carrier argues that this is a textbook case of chronic absenteeism, and the
Claimant has failed to meet the most basic element of the employee-employer
relationship. The Carrier asserts that it cannot be expected to function with employees
who report on a part-time basis and enjoy generous employee benefits. The Carrier
submits that becautse the Claimant was signatory to the "final warning" provisions of the
October 29, 2007, waiver, so her discharge was self-executing.
The Carrier ultimately contends that the instant claim should be denied in its
entirety.
The Organization initially contends that the Claimant's discharge was arbitrary,
extremely harsh, and not based on the facts developed at the hearing. The Organization
asserts that Rule 16 was in effect during the time period in question, in addition to the
Attendance Policy, but the Claimant was not afforded the opportunity to ascertain her
rights in accordance with Rule 16. The Organization argues that although management
discussed the Claimant's attendance problems with her on several occasions, there is no
evidence that management ever explained to the Claimant any rights to which she may
have been entitled under the ADA or FMLA.
The Organization maintains that the record shows that there is much confusion in
the Readville Office when someone calls in for whatever reason, and there is even more
confusion pertaining to time cards. The Organization points out that the Carrier
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submitted three corrected time cards for the Claimant, but failed to produce the original
time cards. The Organization suggests that the original time cards may indicate that the
Carrier's assertion that the Claimant was AWOL to be incorrect.
The Organization then emphasizes the statement in the decision letter that the
Carrier's witnesses did not appear to have a compelling grasp of all aspects of the
Attendance Policy - particularly in the area of what might constitute an excused absence.
The Organization insists that it is outrageous that the Carrier would allow these same
people to enforce that Attendance Policy.
. The Organization submits that the Carrier has mishandled the Claimant's situation.
The Organization ultimately contends that the instant claim should be sustained in its
entirety.
The parties being unable to resolve their dispute, this matter came before this
Board.
This Board has reviewed the record in this case, and we find that there is sufficient
evidence in the record to support the finding that the Claimant was guilty of violating the
AWOL, the Excessive Absenteeism, and Pattern Absenteeism sections of the Carrier's
Attendance Policy. The record reveals that the Claimant waived a formal investigation
back in 2007 and was assessed a ten-day suspension and a final warning at that time. The
waiver specified that if the Claimant were again to impact the Attendance Policy within
nine months, she would be subject to dismissal. Only a few months later, the Claimant
accumulated Attendance Policy occurrences, including a pattern occurrence that
exceeded the three and thirty threshold described in the Attendance Policy. Therefore,
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the Claimant placed herself in a position to be removed pursuant to the previously signed
waiver.
Once this Board has determined that there is sufficient evidence in the record to
support the guilty finding, we next turn our attention to the type of discipline imposed.
This Board will not set aside a Carrier's imposition of discipline unless we find its
actions to have been unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious.
The Claimant in this case had compiled a total of 223 absences during the period
from August 5, 2003, to February 25, 2008. It is fundamental that the Carrier has a right
to expect employees to come to work on time on a regular basis. Given the fact that the
Claimant had signed the waiver in October of 2007 and violated it only four months later,
this Board cannot
rind
that the Carrier acted unreasonably, arbitrarily, or capriciously
when it terminated her employment. Therefore, the claim must be denied.
AWARD:
The claim is denied
4 GAlVI7 "I4N MEMBER
DATED: / / 0
10
5
PET R MEY96 Nentrall er
CARRIER MEMBER
DATED:
I.
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