OFFENSE

EMPLOYER’S PENALTY

RESULT ON APPEAL

DESCRIPTION

CASE NAME

Conduct Unbecoming Off Duty

Termination

1-Month Suspension

Firefighter union president distributed rap song criticizing his supervisors, and allowed literature for candidate for Township office to be placed in pizza boxes delivered to fire house contrary to instructions not to do so. Arbitrator sustained two insubordination charges, but reduced punishment because two additional charges were unsustained, including one charge that violated principles of double jeopardy.

Union Township, 125 LA 1638 (Rosen, 2009).

Conflict Of Interest

Demotion

Demotion

Lieutenant demoted for using two inmates participating in work release program to perform work on several real estate properties he owned. While the Arbitrator acknowledged the lieutenant’s prior good work record, the lieutenant’s “terrible judgment” justified the demotion.

Sanilac County Board of Commissioners, LAIG 6719 (Jacobs, 2009).

Dishonesty

10-Day Suspension

No Discipline

Lieutenant suspended for allegedly making false entries into a time management system concerning work hours and on-call status. While there was “no question” that the lieutenant’s methodology was inconsistent with the employer’s rules, there was also “no question” that the City violated its own rules regarding the payment of overtime, and failed to instruct the lieutenant as to the correct way to make entries into the time system.

City of Dayton, LAIG 6746 (Ruben, 2009).