Opinion ID: 1242225
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Consistency of Disciplinary Action

Text: The Appellee argues that his dismissal is inconsistent with prior disciplinary action chosen by the City. He contends that he was treated unfairly and was disciplined more harshly than other employees of the City. Specifically, he references two other firemen found guilty of DUI and not terminated. In analyzing this assertion, this Court must acknowledge that the imposition of discipline is based upon a subjective determination with respect to a specific set of factual circumstances, unique and distinct from all other occasions of misconduct. The fact that the form of discipline imposed upon individuals committing a DUI offense was less severe than that imposed upon the Appellee is not cause for reversal of the Commission's decision in this case. As the City emphasizes, in comparing the Appellee to the DUI offenders, two distinctly different violations exist; one involves abuse of a legal substance and one involves acquisition and possession of an illegal substance. In response to a similar uniformity of discipline argument, the Court of Appeals of Indiana recognized as follows in General Motors Corporation v. Review Board of Indiana Department of Workforce Development, 671 N.E.2d 493 (Ind.App.1996): Treating offenders who violate its policy by using or possessing illegal drugs differently from those offenders who violate the policy by selling illegal drugs does not mean that GM does not uniformly enforce its drug policy rules. The two classes of offenders are different, present different risks, and are treated differently under our criminal statutes. 671 N.E.2d at 498 (footnote omitted); see also Everett v. Board of Education, 334 N.W.2d 320, 321 (Iowa App.1983) (holding that the concept of just cause is a flexible one; each case depends on its own circumstances). Further, as referenced above, the Moe court succinctly observed that possession of cocaine is properly distinguished from possession or use of alcohol. Moe, 450 N.W.2d at 371.