John Veitch Improperly Dismissed
Apr 27, 2013 13:28:01 GMT -5
Post by racinggal on Apr 27, 2013 13:28:01 GMT -5
I think as the Chief Steward, he failed doing his job by not scratching Life At Ten.
Ruling: John Veitch Improperly Dismissed
By Ron Mitchell
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
John Veitch
The Kentucky Personnel Board has ruled that fired chief racing steward John Veitch should be reinstated to his former position and be awarded all back pay and benefits dating to his dismissal date of Nov. 28, 2011.
The April 24 ruling, which can be appealed within 15 days, agreed with Veitch's attorneys that the executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, and not the Public Protection Cabinet, had the jurisdiction to fire Veitch.
Veitch was dismissed without cause in a Nov. 28 letter from Holly McCoy-Johnson, the appointing authority for the Public Protection Cabinet. In a supplemental appeal filed on behalf of Veitch, attorney Tom Miller said Veitch's dismissal was initiated by Public Protection Cabinet secretary Robert Vance. The KHRC falls under aues of the Public Protection Cabinet.
"My dismissal was not only improper, but violated my statutory and constitutional rights because Vance ... had no authority to dismiss me as chief state steward," Veitch said in the supplemental appeal filed by Miller. "Because only the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission had the authority to dismiss me, Vance's unilateral decision was a clear statutory and constitutional violation of my rights and not effective. Therefore, I remain employed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission."
The personnel board ruling stated: "... It is concluded that the executive director of the KHRC has the sole and exclusive authority to hire and to terminate employees of the KHRC, but must process such personnel actions to the Personnel Cabinet through the Public Protection Cabinet.
"The statutes and regulations make it clear that such personnel actions must originate from within the KHRC. This termination did not originate from the KHRC. It originated from the Public Protection Cabinet. In fact, no action pertaining to termination was considered, voted on, or taken by the KHRC. Therefore, appellant has met his burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to show his termination from the position of chief state steward was improperly done."
In reference to other claims made in his appeal, the personnel board said Veitch had not shown that his termination constituted discrimination based on age of 40 years or older; that Veitch's position was a non-merit unclassified position, and that termination procedures pertinent to classified employees did not apply to his termination; and that he had failed to show that his termination was the result of exercising his constitutional right of due process during the Life At Ten matter.
In addition to appealing his dismissal as chief steward, Veitch has also filed litigation seeking to overturn the KHRC's upholding a hearing officer's recommendation that Veitch be suspended for a year for his handling of the Life At Ten situation.
Life At Ten, owned by Candy DeBartolo and trained by Todd Pletcher, finished last in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) at Churchill Downs as the second choice at odds of 7-2. With jockey John Velazquez aboard, Life At Ten had no run when the field left the gate, and she was not persevered with throughout the race.
The day after the Ladies' Classic, trainer Todd Pletcher said it appeared that Life At Ten had an allergic reaction to Salix, the anti-bleeder medication she was treated with prior to the race.
Velazquez did not admit to any wrongdoing in the matter, but paid a $10,000 fine, half of which went to a charity.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/77829/ruling-john-veitch-improperly-dismissed#ixzz2Rgoz9Wgq
Ruling: John Veitch Improperly Dismissed
By Ron Mitchell
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
John Veitch
The Kentucky Personnel Board has ruled that fired chief racing steward John Veitch should be reinstated to his former position and be awarded all back pay and benefits dating to his dismissal date of Nov. 28, 2011.
The April 24 ruling, which can be appealed within 15 days, agreed with Veitch's attorneys that the executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, and not the Public Protection Cabinet, had the jurisdiction to fire Veitch.
Veitch was dismissed without cause in a Nov. 28 letter from Holly McCoy-Johnson, the appointing authority for the Public Protection Cabinet. In a supplemental appeal filed on behalf of Veitch, attorney Tom Miller said Veitch's dismissal was initiated by Public Protection Cabinet secretary Robert Vance. The KHRC falls under aues of the Public Protection Cabinet.
"My dismissal was not only improper, but violated my statutory and constitutional rights because Vance ... had no authority to dismiss me as chief state steward," Veitch said in the supplemental appeal filed by Miller. "Because only the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission had the authority to dismiss me, Vance's unilateral decision was a clear statutory and constitutional violation of my rights and not effective. Therefore, I remain employed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission."
The personnel board ruling stated: "... It is concluded that the executive director of the KHRC has the sole and exclusive authority to hire and to terminate employees of the KHRC, but must process such personnel actions to the Personnel Cabinet through the Public Protection Cabinet.
"The statutes and regulations make it clear that such personnel actions must originate from within the KHRC. This termination did not originate from the KHRC. It originated from the Public Protection Cabinet. In fact, no action pertaining to termination was considered, voted on, or taken by the KHRC. Therefore, appellant has met his burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to show his termination from the position of chief state steward was improperly done."
In reference to other claims made in his appeal, the personnel board said Veitch had not shown that his termination constituted discrimination based on age of 40 years or older; that Veitch's position was a non-merit unclassified position, and that termination procedures pertinent to classified employees did not apply to his termination; and that he had failed to show that his termination was the result of exercising his constitutional right of due process during the Life At Ten matter.
In addition to appealing his dismissal as chief steward, Veitch has also filed litigation seeking to overturn the KHRC's upholding a hearing officer's recommendation that Veitch be suspended for a year for his handling of the Life At Ten situation.
Life At Ten, owned by Candy DeBartolo and trained by Todd Pletcher, finished last in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) at Churchill Downs as the second choice at odds of 7-2. With jockey John Velazquez aboard, Life At Ten had no run when the field left the gate, and she was not persevered with throughout the race.
The day after the Ladies' Classic, trainer Todd Pletcher said it appeared that Life At Ten had an allergic reaction to Salix, the anti-bleeder medication she was treated with prior to the race.
Velazquez did not admit to any wrongdoing in the matter, but paid a $10,000 fine, half of which went to a charity.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/77829/ruling-john-veitch-improperly-dismissed#ixzz2Rgoz9Wgq
