Complainant,v.Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Great Lakes Area), Agency.Download PDFEqual Employment Opportunity CommissionMar 9, 20150520150008 (E.E.O.C. Mar. 9, 2015) Copy Citation U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION Office of Federal Operations P.O. Box 77960 Washington, DC 20013 , Complainant, v. Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Great Lakes Area), Agency. Request No. 0520150008 Appeal No. 0120141450 Agency No. 4J-606-0021-13 DECISION ON REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION Complainant timely requested reconsideration of the decision in EEOC Appeal No. 0120141450 (August 12, 2014). EEOC Regulations provide that the Commission may, in its discretion, grant a request to 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 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(c). In our prior decision, we affirmed the Agency’s finding that Complainant was not subjected to disability discrimination or retaliation when she was not allowed to work, sent for a fitness for duty examination, and required to submit updated medical documentation after an almost decade long absence from work. We also concluded that she was not denied reasonable accommodation because she failed to prove that there were vacant funded positions for which she was qualified and to which she could have been reassigned. In her request, Complainant argues that our prior decision will have a substantial impact on the policies, practices, or operations of the Agency because she prevailed on a grievance. We disagree. The Agency’s obligations under the applicable collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) may and do often differ from its obligations under the Rehabilitation Act. The fact that the CBA entitled Complainant to a benefit does not mean that she could perform the essential functions of her position with or without reasonable accommodation. We conclude that our prior decision is consistent with EEOC policy and precedent. 0520150008 2 After reviewing the previous decision and the entire record, the Commission finds that the request fails to meet the criteria of 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(c), and it is the decision of the Commission to deny the request. The decision in EEOC Appeal No. 0120141450 remains the Commission's decision. There is no further right of administrative appeal on the decision of the Commission on this request. COMPLAINANT’S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (P0610) This decision of the Commission is final, and there is no further right of administrative appeal from the Commission’s decision. 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. RIGHT TO REQUEST COUNSEL (Z0610) 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 from the Court that the Court appoint an attorney to represent you and that the Court also 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 with the Court 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 Date March 9, 2015 Copy with citationCopy as parenthetical citation