0520160441
09-09-2016
Assunta V.,1 Complainant, v. Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Capital Metro Area), Agency.
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013
Assunta V.,1
Complainant,
v.
Megan J. Brennan,
Postmaster General,
United States Postal Service
(Capital Metro Area),
Agency.
Request No. 0520160441
Appeal No. 0120140137
Hearing No. 570-2010-00595X
Agency Nos. 4K-200-0164-09
4K-200-0058-10
DECISION ON REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION
Complainant timely requested reconsideration of the decision in EEOC Appeal No. 0120140137 (June 14, 2016). EEOC Regulations provide that the Commission may, in its discretion, grant a request to reconsider any previous Commission decision where the requesting party demonstrates 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. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(c).
During the period at issue, Complainant worked as a Manager, Customer Services for the Agency in Bethesda, Maryland. Complainant filed two formal EEO complaints alleging discrimination based on race, sex, age and retaliation.
The prior appellate decision affirmed the Agency's final order implementing the EEOC Administrative Judge (AJ)'s summary judgment finding no discrimination.
In her Request for Reconsideration, Complainant argues that the AJ erred in issuing a summary judgment finding no discrimination. Complainant provided extensive arguments in support of her original appeal of this matter. Complainant's arguments on her request for reconsideration encompass a variety of matters, including the assertion that the AJ improperly ignored her evidence of disparate treatment and "deviations from Agency policy." Specifically, Complainant stated "these are two of the strongest ways to establish discrimination without having direct evidence. The Commission has clearly established that employees need not have direct evidence to provide that they have been subjected to discrimination. So it was improper for [AJ] to analyze Appellant's employment discrimination matter under that strict framework. This dissuades employees from using the EEO process as many supervisors now discriminate, and they know they can hide it by merely never mentioning anything r elated to the employees protected class(es)."
Despite Complainant's assertions in her request, we nevertheless determine that Complainant's request to reconsider primarily focuses on the substance of the finding of no discrimination, with arguments that clearly had been raised, or certainly could have been raised, during the original appeal. In this regard, we emphasize that a request for reconsideration is not a second appeal to the Commission. See EEO MD-110, Ch. 9, � VII.A. Rather, a reconsideration request is an opportunity to demonstrate that the appellate decision involved a clearly erroneous interpretation of material fact or law, or will have a substantial impact on the policies, practices, or operations of the Agency. Complainant has not done so here.
After reviewing the previous decision and the entire record, the Commission finds that the request fails to meet the criteria of 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(c), and it is the decision of the Commission to deny the request. The decision in EEOC Appeal No. 0120140137 remains the Commission's decision. There is no further right of administrative appeal on the decision of the Commission on this request.
COMPLAINANT'S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (P0610)
This decision of the Commission is final, and there is no further right of administrative appeal from the Commission's decision. You have the right to file a civil action in an appropriate United States District Court within ninety (90) calendar days from the date that you receive this decision. 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.
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 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
September 9, 2016
__________________
Date
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.
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