Bobby P. Amos, Complainant,v.Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJul 6, 2000
01A02603 (E.E.O.C. Jul. 6, 2000)

01A02603

07-06-2000

Bobby P. Amos, Complainant, v. Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.


Bobby P. Amos v. Department of Veterans Affairs

01A02603

July 6, 2000

Bobby P. Amos, )

Complainant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01A02603

) Agency No. 99-5228

Togo D. West, Jr., )

Secretary, )

Department of Veterans Affairs, )

Agency. )

____________________________________)

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from an agency

decision regarding his complaint of unlawful employment discrimination

in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended,

42 U.S.C. � 2000e et seq.<1> The Commission accepts the appeal in

accordance with 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999)(to be codified at 29

C.F.R. �1614.405).

Complainant contacted the EEO office regarding claims of discrimination

based on race and reprisal. Informal efforts to resolve complainant's

concerns were unsuccessful. Subsequently, on September 28, 1999,

complainant filed a formal complaint. The agency framed the claim as

follows:

On August 27, 1999, complainant's supervisor sent an e-mail message in

which she made the following derogatory statement: "[Addressee's name] -

if you have the name of this employer, I'll have my sneaky and underhanded

staff make a phone call. Thanks for the lead."

On February 10, 2000, the agency issued a decision dismissing the

complaint for failure to state a claim. The agency determined that

complainant's underlying claim was one of harassment. According to

the agency, one or two isolated incidents did not rise to the level of

harassment.

The regulation set forth at 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656 (1999)(to

be codified and hereinafter cited as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1))

provides, in relevant part, that an agency shall dismiss a complaint

that fails to state a claim. An agency shall accept a complaint from

any aggrieved employee or applicant for employment who believes that he

or she has been discriminated against by that agency because of race,

color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disabling condition.

29 C.F.R. �� 1614.103, .106(a). The Commission's federal sector case

precedent has long defined an "aggrieved employee" as one who suffers a

present harm or loss with respect to a term, condition, or privilege of

employment for which there is a remedy. Diaz v. Department of the Air

Force, EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April 21, 1994).

Complainant contends he was discriminated against when his supervisor

referred to her staff, including complainant, as "sneaky and underhanded."

The Commission has repeatedly found that remarks or comments unaccompanied

by a concrete agency action are not a direct and personal deprivation

sufficient to render an individual aggrieved for the purposes of

Title VII. See Backo v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Request

No. 05960227 (June 10, 1996); Henry v. United States Postal Service,

EEOC Request No. 05940695 (February 9, 1995). Complainant has not

shown that the alleged remark resulted in a harm or loss regarding a

term, condition or privilege of his employment. We do not find that

the alleged incident rendered complainant an "aggrieved" employee.

We also find that the complaint is not sufficient to state a claim of

discriminatory harassment. See Cobb v. Department of the Treasury,

EEOC Request No. 05970077 (March 13, 1997).

Accordingly, the agency's dismissal of the complaint for failure to

state a claim was proper and is hereby AFFIRMED.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0300)

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 or WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS OF

RECEIPT OF ANOTHER PARTY'S TIMELY REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION. See 64

Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter referred

to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405); Equal Employment Opportunity Management

Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110), 9-18 (November 9, 1999).

All requests and arguments must be submitted to the Director, Office of

Federal Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, P.O. Box

19848, Washington, D.C. 20036. 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 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,661 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.604). 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).

COMPLAINANTS' RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S0400)

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. If you

file a request to reconsider and also file a civil action, filing a civil

action will terminate the administrative processing of your complaint.

RIGHT TO REQUEST COUNSEL (Z1199)

If you decide to file a civil action, and if you do not have or cannot

afford the services of an attorney, you may request that the Court appoint

an attorney to represent you and that the Court permit you to file the

action without payment of fees, costs, or other security. See Title VII

of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. � 2000e et seq.;

the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. �� 791, 794(c).

The grant or denial of the request is within the sole discretion of

the Court. Filing a request for an attorney does not extend your time

in which to file a civil action. Both the request and the civil action

must be filed within the time limits as stated in the paragraph above

("Right to File A Civil Action").

FOR THE COMMISSION:

July 6, 2000

____________________________

Date Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations

1On November 9, 1999, revised regulations governing the EEOC's federal

sector complaint process went into effect. These regulations apply to all

federal sector EEO complaints pending at any stage in the administrative

process. Consequently, the Commission will apply the revised regulations

found at 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644 (1999), where applicable, in deciding the

present appeal. The regulations, as amended, may also be found at the

Commission's website at www.eeoc.gov.