Ashlee P.v.Dep’t of Def.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Jul 2, 2019

EEOC Appeal No. 2019000800 (E.E.O.C. Jul. 2, 2019)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013
Ashlee P.,1
Complainant,
v.
Mark T. Esper,
Acting Secretary,
Department of Defense
(Defense Intelligence Agency),
Agency.
Appeal No. 2019000800
Agency No. DIA208800092
DECISION
Complainant filed a timely appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC
or Commission) from the Agency's decision dated October 3, 2018, dismissing her complaint of
unlawful employment discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
(Title VII), as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.
BACKGROUND
At the time of events giving rise to this complaint, Complainant worked as an Instructor, GG-12,
at the Agency’s Pentagon facility in Washington, D.C.
On September 4, 2018, Complainant filed a formal complaint alleging that the Agency subjected
her to discrimination on the bases of race (African-American) and sex (female). The Agency
framed the issue as being denied promotion from GG-13 from 2011-2014, on three separate
occasions while assigned to the Directorate of Operations (DO) even though her supervisors
wrote excellent year-end reviews and strongly supported the promotions based on her
performance.
The Agency dismissed the complaint, pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.107(a)(2), for failure to
timely contact an EEO counselor. The instant appeal followed.
1 This case has been randomly assigned a pseudonym which will replace Complainant’s name
when the decision is published to non-parties and the Commission’s website.
20190008002
ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. § 1614.105(a)(1) requires that complaints of discrimination should
be brought to the attention of the Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor within forty-five
(45) days of the date of the matter alleged to be discriminatory or, in the case of a personnel
action, within forty-five (45) days of the effective date of the action.
As an initial matter, it is impossible to determine, based on the record before us, where the years
“2011-2014” came from as reported by the Agency’s EEO counselor. Those dates are not
referenced in Complainant’s formal complaint. Instead, the complaint states that Complainant
was not promoted “on several occasions.” The record does not contain the “EO Intake Form
completed by Complainant on 24 July 2018, which was mentioned in the EEO counselor’s
report. Additionally, it is impossible to determine that Complainant was aware of the time limits
for contacting an EEO counselor. The Agency’s dismissal decision references “enclosure 2” and
“enclosure 3,” but no such enclosures purportedly showing training records were in the record
provided. The dismissal decision also states the workplace had EEO posters detailing the
complaint process and its deadlines, but again, the record contains no copies of the posters or
affidavits concerning when and where it was posted. In Ericson v. Department of the Army,
EEOC Request No. 05920623 (January 14, 1993), the Commission stated that “the agency has
the burden of providing evidence and/or proof to support its final decisions.” See also Gens v.
Department of Defense, EEOC Request No. 05910837 (January 31, 1992). Here, the Agency has
not supported its decision regarding the dates it identified in the claim, as well as Complainant’s
knowledge of the time limitations in the EEO process.
Accordingly, the Agency's final decision dismissing Complainant's complaint is REVERSED.
The complaint is hereby REMANDED to the Agency for further processing in accordance with
this decision and the Order below.
ORDER (E0618)
The Agency is ordered to process the remanded claims in accordance with 29 C.F.R. § 1614.108.
The Agency shall acknowledge to the Complainant that it has received the remanded claims
within thirty (30) calendar days of the date this decision was issued. The Agency shall issue to
Complainant a copy of the investigative file and also shall notify Complainant of the appropriate
rights within one hundred fifty (150) calendar days of the date this decision was issued, unless
the matter is otherwise resolved prior to that time. If the Complainant requests a final decision
without a hearing, the Agency shall issue a final decision within sixty (60) days of receipt of
Complainant’s request.
As provided in the statement entitled "Implementation of the Commission's Decision,” the
Agency must send to the Compliance Officer: 1) a copy of the Agency’s letter of
acknowledgment to Complainant, 2) a copy of the Agency’s notice that transmits the
investigative file and notice of rights, and 3) either a copy of the complainant’s request for a
hearing, a copy of complainant’s request for a FAD, or a statement from the agency that it did
not receive a response from complainant by the end of the election period.
20190008003
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION’S DECISION (K0618)
Under 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(c) and § 1614.502, compliance with the Commission’s corrective
action is mandatory. Within seven (7) calendar days of the completion of each ordered
corrective action, the Agency shall submit via the Federal Sector EEO Portal (FedSEP)
supporting documents in the digital format required by the Commission, referencing the
compliance docket number under which compliance was being monitored. Once all compliance
is complete, the Agency shall submit via FedSEP a final compliance report in the digital format
required by the Commission. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). The Agency’s final report must
contain supporting documentation when previously not uploaded, and the Agency must send a
copy of all submissions to the Complainant and his/her representative.
If the Agency does not comply with the Commission’s order, the Complainant may petition the
Commission for enforcement of the order. 29 C.F.R. § 1614.503(a). The Complainant also has
the right to file a civil action to enforce compliance with the Commission’s order prior to or
following an administrative petition for enforcement. See 29 C.F.R. §§ 1614.407, 1614.408, and
29 C.F.R. § 1614.503(g). Alternatively, the Complainant has the right to file a civil action on the
underlying complaint in accordance with the paragraph below entitled “Right to File a Civil
Action.” 29 C.F.R. §§ 1614.407 and 1614.408. A civil action for enforcement or a civil action
on the underlying complaint is subject to the deadline stated in 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16(c) (1994 &
Supp. IV 1999). If the Complainant files a civil action, the administrative processing of the
complaint, including any petition for enforcement, will be terminated. See 29 C.F.R.
§ 1614.409.
STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION (M0617)
The Commission may, in its discretion, reconsider the decision in this case if the Complainant or
the Agency submits a written request containing arguments or evidence which tend to establish
that:
1. The appellate decision involved a clearly erroneous interpretation of material fact
or law; or
2. The appellate decision will have a substantial impact on the policies, practices, or
operations of the Agency.
Requests to reconsider, with supporting statement or brief, must be filed with the Office of
Federal Operations (OFO) within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of this decision. A party
shall have twenty (20) calendar days of receipt of another party’s timely request for
reconsideration in which to submit a brief or statement in opposition. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405;
Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110),
20190008004
at Chap. 9 § VII.B (Aug. 5, 2015). All requests and arguments must be submitted to the
Director, Office of Federal Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Complainant’s request may be submitted via regular mail to P.O. Box 77960, Washington, DC
20013, or by certified mail to 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507. In the absence of a
legible postmark, the request to reconsider shall be deemed timely filed if it is received by mail
within five days of the expiration of the applicable filing period. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.604. The
agency’s request must be submitted in digital format via the EEOC’s Federal Sector EEO Portal
(FedSEP). See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). The request or opposition must also include proof of
service on the other party.
Failure to file within the time period will result in dismissal of your request for reconsideration
as untimely, unless extenuating circumstances prevented the timely filing of the request. Any
supporting documentation must be submitted with your request for reconsideration. The
Commission will consider requests for reconsideration filed after the deadline only in very
limited circumstances. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.604(c).
COMPLAINANT’S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (R0610)
This is a decision requiring the Agency to continue its administrative processing of your
complaint. However, if you wish to file a civil action, you have the right to file such action in an
appropriate United States District Court within ninety (90) calendar days from the date that you
receive this decision. In the alternative, you may file a civil action after one hundred and
eighty (180) calendar days of the date you filed your complaint with the Agency, or filed your
appeal with the Commission. If you file a civil action, you must name as the defendant in the
complaint the person who is the official Agency head or department head, identifying that person
by his or her full name and official title. Failure to do so may result in the dismissal of your case
in court. “Agency” or “department” means the national organization, and not the local office,
facility or department in which you work. Filing a civil action will terminate the
administrative processing of your complaint.
RIGHT TO REQUEST COUNSEL (Z0815)
If you want to file a civil action but cannot pay the fees, costs, or security to do so, you may
request permission from the court to proceed with the civil action without paying these fees or
costs. Similarly, if you cannot afford an attorney to represent you in the civil action, you may
request the court to appoint an attorney for you. You must submit the requests for waiver of
court costs or appointment of an attorney directly to the court, not the Commission. The
20190008005
court has the sole discretion to grant or deny these types of requests. Such requests do not alter
the time limits for filing a civil action (please read the paragraph titled Complainant’s Right to
File a Civil Action for the specific time limits).
FOR THE COMMISSION:
______________________________ Carlton M. Hadden’s signature
Carlton M. Hadden, Director
Office of Federal Operations
July 2, 2019
Date