Opinion ID: 1474245
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The DiRaimo Appeal

Text: While returning from a police training session, Trooper Joseph DiRaimo placed $10 worth of gasoline in the state vehicle he was driving and $5 worth of gasoline in the personal vehicle his wife was driving; both purchases were placed on a Commonwealth credit card. Trooper DiRaimo did not repay the $5. When Trooper DiRaimo's act was discovered, he was charged with the summary offense of making unauthorized use of a credit card. [6] Trooper DiRaimo pled guilty to this charge. Court martial proceedings were instituted. Trooper DiRaimo pled guilty, and he was dismissed. Trooper DiRaimo then requested grievance arbitration. The arbitrator sustained the grievance, and reduced the discipline to a fifteen-day suspension without pay. The arbitrator reasoned that Trooper DiRaimo did not act like one who had the selfish nature of a thief and thus should not be discharged. The Commonwealth Court, again citing Betancourt, applied the essence test. The court held that the arbitrator had failed to conform to the essence of the collective bargaining agreement when he reduced the discipline to a fifteen-day suspension without pay. The Commonwealth Court vacated the arbitrator's award and reinstated the order dismissing Trooper DiRaimo. [7]