Columbus L. Johnson, Complainant,v.Janet Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJul 25, 2000
05a00302 (E.E.O.C. Jul. 25, 2000)

05a00302

07-25-2000

Columbus L. Johnson, Complainant, v. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Agency.


Columbus L. Johnson, )

Complainant, )

) Request No. 05A00302

v. ) Appeal No. 01984695

) Agency No. F-97-4918

Janet Reno, )

Attorney General, )

Department of Justice, )

Agency. )

)

DENIAL OF REQUESTS FOR RECONSIDERATION

The agency initiated a request to the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission (EEOC or Commission) to reconsider that portion of the decision

in Columbus L. Johnson v. Department of Justice, EEOC Appeal No. 01984695

(October 15, 1999),<1> which reversed the final agency decision on the

grounds that a claim was like or related to a matter that was brought

to the attention of an EEO Counselor. The complainant also initiated

a request to reconsider that portion of our previous decision which

affirmed the final agency decision's dismissal of claims 2 and 3 on

the grounds of failure to contact an EEO Counselor in a timely manner.

EEOC Regulations provide that the Commission may, in its discretion,

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 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999)

(to be codified and hereinafter referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(b)).

After a review of both the agency's and complainant's respective requests

for reconsideration, the previous decision, and the entire record,

the Commission finds that the requests fail to meet the criteria of 29

C.F.R. � 1614.405(b), and it is the decision of the Commission to deny

the requests. With regard to the agency's argument that complainant filed

his appeal in an untimely manner, we find that evidence in support of

this position should have been presented when the Commission previously

reviewed this matter rather than at this stage of the review process.

As for the claim that was previously remanded to the agency for

further processing, we find that it is clear that this claim involving

complainant's performance appraisal is related to the second claim set

forth in the complaint. Our previous affirmance of the agency's dismissal

of the second claim does not negate the validity of the claim at issue in

this request for reconsideration. With respect to the argument submitted

by complainant, he submits information that should have been presented

when the Commission previously reviewed this matter rather than at this

stage of the review process. Therefore, the decision of the Commission

in EEOC Appeal No. 01984695 remains the Commission's final decision.

There is no further right of administrative appeal from a decision of

the Commission on a request for reconsideration.

ORDER (E0400)

The agency is ORDERED to process the remanded claims in accordance with

64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656-7 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.108). The agency shall acknowledge to

the complainant that it has received the remanded claims within thirty

(30) calendar days of the date this decision becomes final. The agency

shall issue to complainant a copy of the investigative file and also shall

notify complainant of the appropriate rights within one hundred fifty

(150) calendar days of the date this decision becomes final, unless the

matter is otherwise resolved prior to that time. If the complainant

requests a final decision without a hearing, the agency shall issue

a final decision within sixty (60) days of receipt of complainant's

request.

A copy of the agency's letter of acknowledgment to complainant and a

copy of the notice that transmits the investigative file and notice of

rights must be sent to the Compliance Officer as referenced below.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K1199)

Compliance with the Commission's corrective action is mandatory.

The agency shall submit its compliance report within thirty (30)

calendar days of the completion of all ordered corrective action. The

report shall be submitted to the Compliance Officer, Office of Federal

Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, P.O. Box 19848,

Washington, D.C. 20036. The agency's report must contain supporting

documentation, and the agency must send a copy of all submissions to

the complainant. If the agency does not comply with the Commission's

order, the complainant may petition the Commission for enforcement

of the order. 29 C.F.R. �1614.503(a). The complainant also has the

right to file a civil action to enforce compliance with the Commission's

order prior to or following an administrative petition for enforcement.

See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659-60 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 29 C.F.R. ��1614.407, 1614.408) and 29 C.F.R. �1614.503(g).

Alternatively, the complainant has the right to file a civil action on

the underlying complaint in accordance with the paragraph below entitled

"Right to File A Civil Action." 29 C.F.R. ��1614.407 and 1614.408. A

civil action for enforcement or a civil action on the underlying complaint

is subject to the deadline stated in 42 U.S.C. �2000e-16(c)(Supp. V 1993).

If the complainant files a civil action, the administrative processing of

the complaint, including any petition for enforcement, will be terminated.

See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 29 C.F.R. �1614.409).

COMPLAINANTS' RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION

(Q0400)

This decision affirms the agency's final decision/action in part, but it

also requires the agency to continue its administrative processing of a

portion of your complaint. 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 on both that portion

of your complaint which the Commission has affirmed AND that portion

of the complaint which has been remanded for continued administrative

processing. In the alternative, you may file a civil action AFTER

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY (180) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you filed your

complaint with the agency, or filed your appeal with the Commission.

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. 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 25, 2000

_______________________________

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations

CERTIFICATE OF MAILING

For timeliness purposes, the Commission will presume that this decision

was received within five (5) calendar days of mailing. I certify that

the decision was mailed to complainant, complainant's representative,

and the agency on:

DATE Equal Employment Assistant

1 On 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.