# 2019-132 Careers, Non public funds

Case summary

F&R Date: 2020-03-13

The grievor claimed he could not access his mess and gym facilities or receive notification of general mess meetings after his Department of National Defence (DND) building pass and access to the DND computer network were temporarily suspended during an extended period of absence. As redress, he requested reimbursement of mess dues and other financial compensation.

The Initial Authority found that the grievor could have accessed the mess and gym facilities and informed himself of mess meetings through other methods and denied redress.

The Committee confirmed that DND security protocol requires the temporary suspension of a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member's unrestricted building pass during periods of extended absence. It also confirmed that in the grievor's workplace, the mess and gym facilities are in an unrestricted area accessible by an unescorted visitor's pass available to all CAF personnel and that the grievor's chain of command had provided him with a special building pass.

The Committee confirmed that the mess's website and Facebook page were publicly available on the Internet and contained up to date information on general mess meetings.

The Committee determined that the grievor had alternate means to access the mess and gym facilities and to inform himself of mess meetings. It was also unaware of any CAF policy linking mess dues to gym access. Accordingly, the Committee found that the grievor was not entitled to reimbursement of mess dues or other compensation.

The Committee recommended that the Final Authority (FA) not afford redress.

FA decision summary

The Director Canadian Forces Grievance Authority, acting as FA, agreed with the Committee's findings and recommendation not to afford the grievor redress.