Social Security Administration, Headquarters Bureaus and Offices in Baltimore and SSA Local 1923, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO

 2 FLRA No. 5
 
 MS. GEORGIA E. RAYMAN
 707 NORTH CALVERT STREET
 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202
 
                           RE:  SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, HEADQUARTERS
                                BUREAUS AND OFFICES IN BALTIMORE AND SSA
                                LOCAL 1923, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT
                                EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO (ABLES, ARBITRATOR), Case
                                No. 0-AR-48
 
 DEAR MS. RAYMAN:
 
    THIS REFERS TO YOUR EXCEPTIONS TO THE ARBITRATOR'S AWARD IN THE
 ABOVE-ENTITLED CASE, FILED WITH THE AUTHORITY ON OCTOBER 5, 1979.
 
    SECTION 2425.1(A) OF THE AUTHORITY'S RULES OF PROCEDURE (44 F.R.
 44740 ET SEQ., COPY ENCLOSED) PROVIDES, "EITHER PARTY TO ARBITRATION
 UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 71 OF TITLE 5 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE
 MAY FILE AN EXCEPTION TO AN ARBITRATOR'S AWARD RENDERED PURSUANT TO THE
 ARBITRATION."
 
    IN THIS CASE, THE ARBITRATOR'S OPINION AND AWARD CLEARLY INDICATE
 THAT TWO PARTIES (THE UNION AND THE AGENCY) PARTICIPATED IN THE
 ARBITRATION PROCEEDING.  THUS, IT DOES NOT APPEAR FROM THE ARBITRATOR'S
 OPINION AND AWARD THAT YOU, ONE OF THE GRIEVANTS, PARTICIPATED AS A
 "PARTY" IN THE PROCEEDING BEFORE THE ARBITRATOR.  CONSEQUENTLY, YOU ARE
 NOT ENTITLED TO FILE AN EXCEPTION UNDER SECTION 2425.1(A) OF THE
 AUTHORITY'S RULES.
 
    ACCORDINGLY, AND APART FROM OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, /1/ YOUR EXCEPTIONS
 TO THE ARBITRATOR'S AWARD IN THE ABOVE-ENTITLED CASE ARE HEREBY
 DISMISSED.
 
    FOR THE AUTHORITY
 
                                SINCERELY,
 
                             HAROLD D. KESSLER
 
                            EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
 
    CC:  (W/C OF EXCEPTIONS)
 
    R. A. MATTHEWS
 
    SSA
 
    /1/ IN THIS REGARD, SECTION 2425.1(B) OF THE AUTHORITY'S RULES OF
 PROCEDURE SPECIFY THAT THE TIME LIMIT FOR FILING AN EXCEPTION TO AN
 ARBITRATOR'S AWARD IS 30 DAYS BEGINNING ON THE DATE OF THE AWARD.  THE
 SUBJECT AWARD IS DATED JUNE 26, 1979;  ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THAT AWARD WERE
 DUE IN THE OFFICE OF THE AUTHORITY NO LATER THAN THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS
 ON JULY 26, 1979;  AND, AS INDICATED ABOVE, YOUR EXCEPTIONS WERE NOT
 FILED WITH THE AUTHORITY UNTIL OCTOBER 5, 1979.  THUS, THOSE EXCEPTIONS
 APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN UNTIMELY FILED.