Opinion ID: 1985534
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Coles Case

Text: Like Dashiell, Daniel Coles was employed as a Direct Care Assistant II at the Holly Center at the time of his dismissal. He had worked at the Holly Center for seven years, and all of his evaluations indicated that his work was satisfactory. Coles signed a form acknowledging receipt of the State's Substance Abuse policy on April 25, 1989. On August 26, 1989, while off-duty, he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was found guilty of this offense in the District Court of Maryland, sitting in Wicomico County, on March 19, 1990. Coles received notice that as of January 17, 1990  a date between his arrest and conviction  his position had been designated as sensitive. On April 16, 1990, charges were filed against him for separation from State service, alleging a violation of the Substance Abuse Policy and of COMAR 06.01.01.47(M). A hearing was held before a State administrative law judge on May 9, 1990, who determined that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene had satisfied its requisite burden of proving violations of both the Substance Abuse Policy and COMAR 06.01.01.47(M). The administrative law judge recommended to the Secretary of Personnel that Coles be separated from State service, noting that Coles's arrest was not the occurrence that violated the policy, but rather it was his conviction which occurred after Coles's job had been designated as sensitive. Although the Secretary expressly adopted the findings of fact and conclusions of law of the administrative law judge, she made no mention of the charge that Coles's conduct tended to bring the State service into public disrepute. The Secretary ordered that Coles be terminated from State service. The employees appealed to the Circuit Court for Wicomico County from the Secretary's orders. That court (Truitt, J.) affirmed the Secretary's order in both cases. Each employee then appealed to the Court of Special Appeals. We granted certiorari before consideration of their appeals by the intermediate appellate court.