Complainant,v.Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Western Area), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Sep 20, 2013

0120133084 (E.E.O.C. Sep. 20, 2013)

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

,
Complainant,

v.

Patrick R. Donahoe,
Postmaster General,
United States Postal Service
(Western Area),
Agency.

Appeal No. 0120133084

Agency No. 4E-852-0174-12

DISMISSAL OF APPEAL

Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission from the Agency’s final decision, dated
January 2, 2013, concerning her complaint of unlawful employment discrimination. In her
complaint, Complainant alleged that she was discriminated against based on race (African
American), color (black), sex (female), and age (over 40) when on August 15, 2012, the
Postmaster changed the hampers from soft-sided hampers to hard-sided; her request for a union
representative was denied; and the Postmaster made derogatory comments which she felt were
offensive. EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. §1614.402 provides that appeals to the Commission
must be filed within 30 calendar days after complainants receive notice of the Agency’s
decision.

Complainant admits on appeal that she untimely filed her appeal upon receipt of the Agency’s
final decision. Complainant filed her appeal postmarked August 15, 2013, which, she admits,
was beyond the requisite time limit set by the regulations. The record reveals that the
Agency’s decision explicitly informed Complainant of the time limits on her right to appeal.
Despite Complainant’s contentions on appeal, we find that her obtaining new information
relating to her complaint does not constitute an adequate justification to invoke waiver or
equitable tolling for filing the appeal.

Accordingly, the appeal is DISMISSED as untimely pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(c).

0120133084

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STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION

(M0610)
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), at 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 77960, Washington, DC 20013. 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

(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.

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
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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

September 20, 2013
Date