OPINION
By the Court,
Gunderson, J.:
Appealing a judgment denying relief he sought by petition for writ of mandamus, appellant contends the district court erred in not ordering him reinstated as an employee of Clark County Juvenile Services, with pay accruing since his discharge. While appellant proffers several substantial arguments, we need only consider whether his discharge was for “cause,” as required by NRS 62.115(l).1 We hold it was not; we reverse the judgment appealed from; we direct the district court to settle any cost bill appellant may file within 5 days after issuance of our Remittitur, for costs incurred in proceedings below; and we order the district court to issue a peremptory writ of mandamus commanding:
(1) that such costs forthwith be paid to appellant;
(2) that appellant forthwith be fully reinstated to his employment with Clark County Juvenile Services, with all rights accruing since his wrongful discharge;
(3) that except for such monies as may be withheld for [672]*672income taxes, contributions to the retirement fund, and other proper purposes, all wages accruing since appellant’s wrongful discharge be forthwith paid to him, together with 7 percent interest from when payments thereof were due;
(4) that appellant be restored as nearly as may be to the situation he would now enjoy had his wrongful discharge not occurred; and
(5) that the Director of Juvenile Services make his return to the district court, within 15 days, setting forth fully what has been done in compliance with said writ.
Thereupon, on notice to all parties, the district court shall expeditiously determine whether said writ has in all respects been obeyed. We further order that in accord with NRS 18.060, appellant will be allowed his costs of this appeal, upon timely filing of a proper cost bill with the clerk of this court, those costs to be paid to appellant at the same time remittance is made for costs incurred in the lower court.
Because appellant Hardison has been exposed to public odium, we will state at length the facts on which this decision rests.
The Facts
Hardison served some eight years in the juvenile service, ultimately becoming a senior supervisor in the detention facility. While the record on appeal contains no copies of his performance ratings, it indicates they all were favorable.
A few months before appellant’s discharge, William C. Power was named an Associate Director of Juvenile Services, thus becoming Hardison’s superior. For years, personnel on evening duty at the juvenile detention facility passed spare time playing basketball, ping pong, pool, and cards, all with the administration’s knowledge and acquiescence. (Indeed, Clark County Juvenile Services owned the cards thus used.) At the hearing conducted to determine if there was “cause” for Hardison’s discharge, cross-examination established Power knew this, but had never notified employees of any policy change.2
Following supper on October 20, 1969, detention personnel confined 26 detainees in their rooms to await the evening recreational period; they allowed seven, considered minimum [673]*673security risks, to remain out of their rooms on work detail within the facility. Three male supervisors (one off duty) began a card game at a desk in the middle of the facility’s central rotunda, from which corridors fan out like spokes of a wheel. One Dallmeier, with whom Power had discussed Hardison earlier in the day, was moving about the facility, making periodic visits to see the “Booking officer” who was waiting to alert Power when Hardison returned from work in another building and entered the game. When Hardison commenced playing, Power was notified; he arrived about 6:45 p.m., ordered Hardison to his office, and relieved him of duty.3
The first to testify at the cause hearing subsequently held, [674]*674Power claimed not to know who called him. However, Dallmeier, who testified later, admitted on cross-examination that “the Booking officer told me that they wanted to inform Power that the game was going on, but refused to do so because Hardison was not there. He was over at Child Haven.” Dallmeier said the Booking officer, Geneva Moore, told him she “had spoken to Power and that Power needed some specific incident to take action on that.” After Power arrived, Geneva Moore told Dallmeier she had called Power. These and other facts establish that Power was proceeding under a preconceived plan to obtain cause for Hardison’s discharge, and that Power attempted to conceal this in his testimony.
According to Power, shortly after he first relieved Hardison, and then the other card-playing supervisors, one of the detainees told him three members of the work detail had escaped. (See footnote 3, supra.) It appears the administration (not Hardison) had previously employed an ex-convict as a maintenance man, without ascertaining his extensive criminal background. Believing this man had supplied detainees with keys used in prior escapes, the administration had therefore ordered all locks changed.4 The evening in question, the locksmith had arrived, let himself into the facility’s kitchen, removed cylinders from the lock on the kitchen’s outside door, and had taken them to his truck to change the pins. The three detainees had grasped this opportunity to escape. Thus, although Power attempted to relate Hardison’s termination to this escape, the truth is Power had formulated his plan before the escape, for which Hardison cannot be blamed in any event.
If the record fixes responsibility for the escape on anyone, that person is Power. Hardison testified seven detainees were on work detail, and all were present when he was ordered to Power’s office.5 Regarding the number of inmates on work detail when he arrived, Power said: “I don’t remember the exact number, but there was seven or eight”; he admitted he [675]*675then saw the detainees who later escaped. There is no dispute whatever about this fact.6 Thus, assuming as Power suggested that he could charge Hardison with “ultimate responsibility” for everything that might occur when Hardison was on duty, vicarious responsibility cannot plausibly be imputed for an escape occurring after Power ordered Hardison away from his duties.7
The following day, Power succeeded in obtaining a letter of resignation from Hardison. Hardison shortly thereafter learned he could not be compelled to resign without a hearing, requested the letter’s return, demanded a hearing and, this being refused, filed his first petition for a writ of mandamus. Thereupon, the district court ordered the Director of Juvenile Services to conduct the hearing NRS 62.115(1) required.
By then, Power had developed several justifications for Hardison’s termination, in addition to the fact he had been playing cards.8 Although none had substance, the Director of [676]*676Juvenile Services upheld his discharge.
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OPINION
By the Court,
Gunderson, J.:
Appealing a judgment denying relief he sought by petition for writ of mandamus, appellant contends the district court erred in not ordering him reinstated as an employee of Clark County Juvenile Services, with pay accruing since his discharge. While appellant proffers several substantial arguments, we need only consider whether his discharge was for “cause,” as required by NRS 62.115(l).1 We hold it was not; we reverse the judgment appealed from; we direct the district court to settle any cost bill appellant may file within 5 days after issuance of our Remittitur, for costs incurred in proceedings below; and we order the district court to issue a peremptory writ of mandamus commanding:
(1) that such costs forthwith be paid to appellant;
(2) that appellant forthwith be fully reinstated to his employment with Clark County Juvenile Services, with all rights accruing since his wrongful discharge;
(3) that except for such monies as may be withheld for [672]*672income taxes, contributions to the retirement fund, and other proper purposes, all wages accruing since appellant’s wrongful discharge be forthwith paid to him, together with 7 percent interest from when payments thereof were due;
(4) that appellant be restored as nearly as may be to the situation he would now enjoy had his wrongful discharge not occurred; and
(5) that the Director of Juvenile Services make his return to the district court, within 15 days, setting forth fully what has been done in compliance with said writ.
Thereupon, on notice to all parties, the district court shall expeditiously determine whether said writ has in all respects been obeyed. We further order that in accord with NRS 18.060, appellant will be allowed his costs of this appeal, upon timely filing of a proper cost bill with the clerk of this court, those costs to be paid to appellant at the same time remittance is made for costs incurred in the lower court.
Because appellant Hardison has been exposed to public odium, we will state at length the facts on which this decision rests.
The Facts
Hardison served some eight years in the juvenile service, ultimately becoming a senior supervisor in the detention facility. While the record on appeal contains no copies of his performance ratings, it indicates they all were favorable.
A few months before appellant’s discharge, William C. Power was named an Associate Director of Juvenile Services, thus becoming Hardison’s superior. For years, personnel on evening duty at the juvenile detention facility passed spare time playing basketball, ping pong, pool, and cards, all with the administration’s knowledge and acquiescence. (Indeed, Clark County Juvenile Services owned the cards thus used.) At the hearing conducted to determine if there was “cause” for Hardison’s discharge, cross-examination established Power knew this, but had never notified employees of any policy change.2
Following supper on October 20, 1969, detention personnel confined 26 detainees in their rooms to await the evening recreational period; they allowed seven, considered minimum [673]*673security risks, to remain out of their rooms on work detail within the facility. Three male supervisors (one off duty) began a card game at a desk in the middle of the facility’s central rotunda, from which corridors fan out like spokes of a wheel. One Dallmeier, with whom Power had discussed Hardison earlier in the day, was moving about the facility, making periodic visits to see the “Booking officer” who was waiting to alert Power when Hardison returned from work in another building and entered the game. When Hardison commenced playing, Power was notified; he arrived about 6:45 p.m., ordered Hardison to his office, and relieved him of duty.3
The first to testify at the cause hearing subsequently held, [674]*674Power claimed not to know who called him. However, Dallmeier, who testified later, admitted on cross-examination that “the Booking officer told me that they wanted to inform Power that the game was going on, but refused to do so because Hardison was not there. He was over at Child Haven.” Dallmeier said the Booking officer, Geneva Moore, told him she “had spoken to Power and that Power needed some specific incident to take action on that.” After Power arrived, Geneva Moore told Dallmeier she had called Power. These and other facts establish that Power was proceeding under a preconceived plan to obtain cause for Hardison’s discharge, and that Power attempted to conceal this in his testimony.
According to Power, shortly after he first relieved Hardison, and then the other card-playing supervisors, one of the detainees told him three members of the work detail had escaped. (See footnote 3, supra.) It appears the administration (not Hardison) had previously employed an ex-convict as a maintenance man, without ascertaining his extensive criminal background. Believing this man had supplied detainees with keys used in prior escapes, the administration had therefore ordered all locks changed.4 The evening in question, the locksmith had arrived, let himself into the facility’s kitchen, removed cylinders from the lock on the kitchen’s outside door, and had taken them to his truck to change the pins. The three detainees had grasped this opportunity to escape. Thus, although Power attempted to relate Hardison’s termination to this escape, the truth is Power had formulated his plan before the escape, for which Hardison cannot be blamed in any event.
If the record fixes responsibility for the escape on anyone, that person is Power. Hardison testified seven detainees were on work detail, and all were present when he was ordered to Power’s office.5 Regarding the number of inmates on work detail when he arrived, Power said: “I don’t remember the exact number, but there was seven or eight”; he admitted he [675]*675then saw the detainees who later escaped. There is no dispute whatever about this fact.6 Thus, assuming as Power suggested that he could charge Hardison with “ultimate responsibility” for everything that might occur when Hardison was on duty, vicarious responsibility cannot plausibly be imputed for an escape occurring after Power ordered Hardison away from his duties.7
The following day, Power succeeded in obtaining a letter of resignation from Hardison. Hardison shortly thereafter learned he could not be compelled to resign without a hearing, requested the letter’s return, demanded a hearing and, this being refused, filed his first petition for a writ of mandamus. Thereupon, the district court ordered the Director of Juvenile Services to conduct the hearing NRS 62.115(1) required.
By then, Power had developed several justifications for Hardison’s termination, in addition to the fact he had been playing cards.8 Although none had substance, the Director of [676]*676Juvenile Services upheld his discharge. Hardison again petitioned the district court for a writ of mandamus, seeking reinstatement with back pay. The district court denied relief, except to order back pay from Hardison’s original ouster to July 6, 1970, when the Director had ultimately confirmed his discharge after the aforementioned hearing. Hence, this appeal.9
The Applicable Law
Under NRS 62.115(1), Hardison could properly be discharged only for “cause.” Interpreting Reno’s City Charter, which authorized the chief of police to suspend a police officer for “cause,” this court heretofore endorsed this definition:
“ ‘Cause’ or ‘sufficient cause’ means legal cause, and not any cause which the officer authorized to make such removal may deem sufficient. It is implied that an officer cannot be removed at the mere will of the official vested with the power of removal, or without any cause. The cause must be one which specifically relates to and affects the administration of the office, and must be restricted to something of a substantial nature directly affecting the rights and interests of the public. The cause must be one touching the qualifications of the officer or his performance of his duties, showing that he is not a fit or proper person to hold the office. An attempt to remove an officer for any cause not affecting his competency or fitness [677]*677would be an excess of power and equivalent to an arbitrary removal.” Ex rel. Whalen v. Welliver, 60 Nev. 154, 158, 104 P.2d 188, 190-191 (1940).
In the Whalen case, we granted mandamus relief, commanding reinstatement of wrongfully discharged police officers. In the instant case, we must do the same.
The record establishes that, either without reason or for reasons that do not appear of record, Power laid plans to generate a reason for Hardison’s discharge. That Power was then without legal cause to justify his desire to end Hardison’s employment seems apparent from his evident need to proceed in this way, and from the fact that later attempts to bolster that pretext proved insubstantial.
Power’s attempt to generate cause is unjustifiable. Such a ploy is meaningless to show an employee “is not a fit or proper person to hold the office.” 60 Nev. at 158. Clearly, Hardison was not removed because of some proven dereliction “of a substantial nature directly affecting the rights and interests of the public,” but simply on Power’s “mere will.” 60 Nev. at 158.
As no legal cause was shown for his discharge, Hardison must be reinstated with all accrued back pay and rights, except rights to vacation time off he would have accumulated if he had been allowed to work rather than involuntarily idled. Such time off, of course, he has received. Hardison is also entitled to interest on monies due him, NRS 99.040(5), his costs in proceedings below, NRS 18.020(4), and his costs on appeal, NRS 18.060(2).
This cause is reversed, with the instructions earlier set forth.10
Zenoff, C. J., and Thompson, J., concur.