Connie Vinck, Complainant,v.Rodney E. Slater, Secretary, Department of Transportation, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJul 20, 2000
01a03116 (E.E.O.C. Jul. 20, 2000)

01a03116

07-20-2000

Connie Vinck, Complainant, v. Rodney E. Slater, Secretary, Department of Transportation, Agency.


Connie Vinck v. Department of Transportation

01A03116

July 20, 2000

.

Connie Vinck,

Complainant,

v.

Rodney E. Slater,

Secretary,

Department of Transportation,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A03116

Agency No. 2992144

DECISION

INTRODUCTION

Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission from a final agency

decision concerning her complaint of unlawful employment discrimination

in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended,

42 U.S.C. � 2000e et seq.<1> The appeal is accepted pursuant to 64

Fed. Reg. 37,644 37,659 (1999) (to be codified at 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405).

For the following reasons, the Commission AFFIRMS the final agency

decision.

ISSUE PRESENTED

The issue presented herein is whether the agency properly dismissed

complainant's formal EEO complaint for failure to file within fifteen

(15) days of receiving the notice of the right to file.

BACKGROUND

Complainant filed a formal complaint on August 23, 1999, alleging

discrimination on the bases of sex (female), religion (Protestant),

and reprisal (prior EEO activity) when she was (1) not promoted to the

position of Program Manager in November of 1998; and (2) allegedly subject

to a hostile work environment from March 1996 through December 1998.

In its final decision, the agency dismissed the complaint pursuant

to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2) for failure to file in a timely manner.

This appeal followed.

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.106(b) requires the filing of a

written complaint with an appropriate agency official within fifteen

(15) calendar days after the date of receipt of the notice of the right

to file a formal complaint.

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

cited as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2)) provides that the agency shall

dismiss a complaint or a portion of a complaint that fails to comply

with the applicable time limits contained in � 1614.106, unless the

agency extends the time limits in accordance with � 1614.604(c).

The record in this case indicates that complainant received a notice of

the right to file a formal discrimination complaint on March 23, 1999.

The notice informed complainant that she had fifteen days from the date

of receipt of the notice in which to file a formal complaint. The record

further reflects that complainant did not file a formal complaint within

fifteen days of her receipt of this notice but, instead filed the formal

complaint on August 23, 1999. On appeal, complainant argues that the

time limit should be extended because from December 14, 1998 to June 30,

1999, she was incapacitated from various mental and physical impairments,

and therefore unable to file her formal complaint within the fifteen

(15) day time period. But, as we have held, in cases involving physical

or mental health difficulties, an extension is warranted only where an

individual is so incapacitated by her condition that she is unable to meet

the regulatory time limits. See Davis v. United States Postal Service,

EEOC Request No. 05980475 (August 6, 1998); Crear v. United States Postal

Service, EEOC Request No. 05920700 (October 29, 1992). In this case,

complainant has presented no evidence indicating that, notwithstanding

her impairments (which caused her to miss some days from work), she was

unable to file her complaint in a timely manner. Also, assuming that

complainant was so incapacitated that she was unable to file her formal

complaint in a timely manner, we note that she returned to work on July

5, 1999. We also note that she did not file her formal complaint until

August 23, more than fifteen days after returning to work. For those

reasons, we find that an extension in this case is not justified.

CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, the Commission holds that the agency's decision

to dismiss complainant's formal EEO complaint pursuant to 29 C.F.R. �

1614.107(a)(2) was appropriate. As such, we hereby AFFIRM the final

agency decision.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0300)

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 64

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

to as 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 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,661 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 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).

COMPLAINANTS' RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S0400)

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, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations

July 20, 2000

__________________

Date

1On 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.