Charles J. Setarov.USPS 01A02653 August 8, 2000 . Charles J. Setaro, Complainant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Northeast Area) Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionAug 8, 2000
01a02653 (E.E.O.C. Aug. 8, 2000)

01a02653

08-08-2000

Charles J. Setaro v. USPS 01A02653 August 8, 2000 . Charles J. Setaro, Complainant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Northeast Area) Agency.


Charles J. Setaro v. USPS

01A02653

August 8, 2000

.

Charles J. Setaro,

Complainant,

v.

William J. Henderson,

Postmaster General,

United States Postal Service,

(Northeast Area)

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A02653

Agency No. 4B06019199

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from the agency's

final decision (FAD) dated January 12, 2000, dismissing his 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. and

Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act),

as amended, 29 U.S.C. � 791 et seq.<1> In his complaint, complainant

alleged that he was subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex

(male) and disabilities (asthma and unspecified orthopedic impairments)

when on March 30, 1999, he was placed in an off-duty status without pay,

and on April 22, 1999, when he received a Notice of Removal effective

May 28, 1999.

Upon review, the Commission finds that complainant's complaint

was properly dismissed pursuant to 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656

(1999)(to be codified and hereinafter referred to as EEOC Regulation

29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2)), for untimely EEO contact. EEOC Regulation

64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656 (1999)(to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 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. The Commission has adopted a "reasonable suspicion"

standard (as opposed to a "supportive facts" standard) to determine when

the forty-five (45) day limitation period is triggered.

The Commission finds that the agency properly applied the forty-five

(45) day limitation. For personnel actions, the forty-five (45)

day time limitation is triggered on the effective day of the action.

In the instant case, the effective date of complainant's termination

was May 28, 1999. Complainant did not initiate counselor contact until

July 23, 1999, which is eleven (11) days beyond the forty-five (45) day

time limitation. Accordingly, the agency's final decision dismissing

complainant's complaint for untimely counselor contact is 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:

______________________________

Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations

August 8, 2000

Date

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.