Cher B.,1 Complainant,v.Nancy A. Berryhill, Acting Commissioner, Social Security Administration, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Sep 20, 2018

0120172510 (E.E.O.C. Sep. 20, 2018)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013

Cher B.,1
Complainant,

v.

Nancy A. Berryhill,
Acting Commissioner,
Social Security Administration,
Agency.

Appeal No. 0120172510

Hearing No. 531-2014-00221X

Agency No. HQ130398SSA

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal, pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403, from the Agency’s June 19,
2017 final order concerning an equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaint alleging
employment discrimination in violation of Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(Rehabilitation Act), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 791 et seq.

At the time of events giving rise to this complaint, Complainant was employed by the Agency as
an IT Specialist, GS-12, in the Quality Assurance Systems Branch, Office of Applications and SSI
Systems.2 On June 17, 2013, Complainant filed an EEO complaint alleging discrimination by the
Agency based on disability (mental - anxiety; panic and major depressive disorders) and reprisal
(prior EEO activity) when: (1) on February 22, 2013, an Executive Officer (EO) denied
Complainant' s reasonable accommodation request; (2) on April 30,2013, Complainant's Branch
Chief (BC), issued Complainant what Complainant qualifies as a "poor Mid-Year Performance
Appraisal Communication Systems (PACS) evaluation"; (3) on August 20, 2013, BC placed
Complainant on a Performance Assistance Plan; (4) on January 28, 2014, BC issued Complainant
what Complainant qualifies as an "unfavorable 2013 Final PACS Performance Appraisal"; (5) on
February 19, 2014, Complainant's Team Leader (TL) issued a workload reassignment thereby

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.
2 Complainant had held numerous other job titles pursuant to multiple reassignments.
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pairing Complainant with an employee involved in what Complainant describes as "one of the
workplace barriers which lead to her requesting reasonable accommodation reassignment"; (6) on
February 21, 2014, BC issued Complainant an Official Reprimand that she believes was untimely
and without just cause; (7) on March 4,2014, EO sent Complainant a letter indicating her denial
of Complainant's January 8, 2014 reasonable accommodation request in an email; (8) on March
12, 2014, BC issued Complainant an Opportunity to Perform Successfully (OPS); (9) BC
incorrectly and incompletely filled out the standard form 3112b of Complainant's Disability
Retirement Application; (10) on July 10, 2014, EO denied Complainant's request for reasonable
accommodation reassignment; (11) EO blatantly refused to assist Complainant in obtaining a
reassignment after Complainant submitted her application for disability retirement; (12) on July
11, 2014, BC issued Complainant a new work assignment after informing Complainant that she
failed the OPS that ended on July 9, 2014; (13) on July 11, 2014, BC issued Complainant a new
work assignment that listed three employees as Complainant's resources who are named in the
Report of Investigation as negatives; and (14) at 2:55 pm on July 18, 2014, BC issued Complainant
a proposal to terminate letter and ordered her to pack her desk up, surrender her badge and had her
escorted out of the building by guards.

After its investigation into the complaint, the Agency provided Complainant with a copy of the
report of investigation and notice of right to request a hearing before an Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) Administrative Judge (AJ). Complainant
timely requested a hearing. The AJ held a hearing and subsequently issued a decision in favor of
the Agency. The Agency issued its final order adopting the AJ’s conclusion that Complainant
failed to prove discrimination as alleged. The instant appeal followed.

Pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(a), all post-hearing factual findings by an AJ will be upheld if
supported by substantial evidence in the record. Substantial evidence is defined as “such relevant
evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” Universal
Camera Corp. v. National Labor Relations Board, 340 U.S. 474, 477 (1951) (citation omitted). A
finding regarding whether, or not, discriminatory intent existed is a factual finding. See Pullman-
Standard Co. v. Swint, 456 U.S. 273, 293 (1982). An AJ's conclusions of law are subject to a de
novo standard of review whether, or not a hearing was held.

An AJ’s credibility determination based on the demeanor of a witness or on the tone of voice of a
witness will be accepted unless documents or other objective evidence so contradicts the testimony
or the testimony so lacks in credibility that a reasonable fact finder would not credit it. See EEOC
Management Directive 110, Chapter 9, at § VI.B. (Aug. 5, 2015).

Upon careful review of the AJ’s decision and the evidence of record, as well as the parties’
arguments on appeal, we conclude that substantial evidence of record supports the AJ’s
determination that Complainant has not proven discrimination by the Agency as alleged.
Accordingly, we AFFIRM the Agency’s final order adopting the AJ’s decision.

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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), 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 (S0610)
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.
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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 20, 2018
Date