Chris Ragsdale, Complainant,v.Dr. James G. Roche, Secretary, Department of the Air Force, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionMar 7, 2002
01A20808_r (E.E.O.C. Mar. 7, 2002)

01A20808_r

03-07-2002

Chris Ragsdale, Complainant, v. Dr. James G. Roche, Secretary, Department of the Air Force, Agency.


Chris Ragsdale v. Department of the Air Force

01A20808

March 7, 2002

.

Chris Ragsdale,

Complainant,

v.

Dr. James G. Roche,

Secretary,

Department of the Air Force,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A20808

Agency No. 9V1MO1482

DECISION

Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission from an agency decision

pertaining to 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. The Commission accepts the appeal

in accordance with 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405.

Complainant contacted the EEO office claiming that he was subjected

to a hostile work environment when, on May 17, 2001, agency management

mishandled an incident involving a co-worker who distributed racial jokes

in the workplace. Informal efforts to resolve complainant's concerns

were unsuccessful. On September 13, 2001, complainant filed a formal

complaint based on race.

On October 11, 2001, the agency issued a decision dismissing the

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

although complainant expressed dissatisfaction with how management

handled a situation with another co-worker, complainant failed to show

how he was harmed or adversely affected.

Complainant presents no new contentions on appeal.

The regulation set forth at 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 alleged he was subjected to a hostile work environment

when he reported to management that a co-worker passed around racial

joke literature for all employees to read. Complainant asserted that

the agency Unit Chief refused to take a written statement from him and

never gave him a copy of the racial literature as promised. Complainant

further asserted that the Unit Chief failed to receive a copy of the

documentation regarding the oral admonishment given to the co-worker.

Complainant has not shown that the agency's handling of the incident

involving the offensive literature rendered him �aggrieved.� While the

incident may not have been handled in the manner complainant wished,

there is no evidence of record that complainant was harmed by the

agency's actions. Accordingly, the agency's decision to dismiss the

complaint was proper and is hereby AFFIRMED.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0701)

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 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 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).

COMPLAINANT'S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S0900)

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, Director

Office of Federal Operations

March 7, 2002

__________________

Date