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Merit Appeals Board <br />January 16, 2025 <br />CHR. CABANAS: Okay, great. Thank you both for doing that. Ms. Tavares, do you have any <br />other comments or concerns to make? <br />MS. TAVARES: Not at this time. <br />CHR. CABANAS: Okay, great. Strict rules of evidence will not apply in this hearing; however, <br />the Board requests that all parties confine themselves to the matters connected with today's <br />hearing and the issue before the Board. <br />If witnesses are used, the opposite parties will be allowed to cross-examine the witness. <br />Members of the Board may also question the witness after the witness' testimony. <br />Are there any questions? If not, we shall begin. <br />Okay. Mr. Kaye and Mr. Hong, we'll allow you to make an opening statement. The opening <br />statement is timed for three -minutes and it's generala general summary of the issues that you <br />want to cover during the hearing. You may waive an opening statement, but if you want to, you <br />may make it now. <br />MR. HONG: Madam Chair, and members of the Board, good morning. Ted Hong, on behalf of <br />the Appellant, Jonah Kaye. <br />The only opening statement I wanted to make was just outline our presentation this morning. <br />And Mr. Kaye's going to talk about how he was aoriginally, a Water Safety Officer IL He <br />went through the recruitment process for the Water Safety Officer III position, he was serving in <br />that position for approximately three months. And then, he was notified by the Department of <br />Human Resources Development (sic.) that his recruitment was cancelled and that he was forced <br />to be demoted back down to a Water Safety Officer II. <br />And one of the points that Mr. Kaye is going to talk about is he has suffered a lot of ridicule and <br />humiliation because the department —the Fire Department published that he was now being, <br />essentially, demoted to the Water Safety Officer II position. <br />The remedy that we're going to request is that he be reinstated or put back to his position and <br />made whole, so he can either continue on as a Water Safety Officer III. And that this has been <br />this has had a very profound effect on himself and his family. Thank you. <br />CHR. CABANAS: Thank you, Mr. Hong. Ms. Tavares, you are allowed also to make an <br />opening statement for three -minutes. You may waive making the statement, but if you so wish <br />to, you may proceed for three -minutes —keeping in mind that it is a general summary of the <br />issues that you will cover during the hearing. <br />MS. TAVARES: The County waives. <br />Page 25 <br />