Dainya A. Hobbins-Tabron, Complainant,v.John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Eastern Area), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJun 17, 2010
0120101131 (E.E.O.C. Jun. 17, 2010)

0120101131

06-17-2010

Dainya A. Hobbins-Tabron, Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Eastern Area), Agency.


Dainya A. Hobbins-Tabron,

Complainant,

v.

John E. Potter,

Postmaster General,

United States Postal Service,

(Eastern Area),

Agency.

Appeal No. 0120101131

Agency No. 1C195001509

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from the

Agency's decision dated December 24, 2009, concerning her complaint of

unlawful employment discrimination in violation of Section 501 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended, 29 U.S.C. �

791 et seq.

BACKGROUND

In her EEO complaint, Complainant alleged that she was subjected to

discrimination on the basis of disability (deaf) when she was denied a

sign language interpreter for a "performance work meeting," her supervisor

did not explain her mistakes to her and talked to others about her, and

when she was fired on September 13, 2009. The Agency determined that

the claims were subsumed into the class complaint, Tighe v. USPS, Agency

No. 1E-801-0070-04, which was filed in July 2004. That class complaint

alleges that the Agency failed to provide sign language interpreters to

deaf employees. Complainant filed the instant appeal from the agency's

decision to hold her complaint in abeyance as subsumed into the Tighe

class action.

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

The Commission notes that it has previously held that a Complainant may

appeal an agency decision to hold an individual complaint in abeyance

during the processing of a related class complaint. See Roos v. United

States Postal Service, EEOC Request No. 05920101 (February 13, 1992).

In addition, Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive-110,

Chapter 8, � III(C) (November 9, 1999) provides, in relevant part, that

"an individual complaint that is filed before or after the class complaint

is filed and that comes within the definition of the class claim(s),

will not be dismissed but will be subsumed within the class complaint."

Upon review, we find that the Agency improperly found that Complainant's

claims of discrimination should be held in abeyance. In the instant

complaint, Complainant raised, among other things, a claim regarding her

termination and the fact that her supervisor did not explain her mistakes

to her and talked about her to others. These claims are not similar to

the claim raised in the Tighe class action. Moreover, with regard to

the remaining claim concerning sign language interpreter services, we

note that Complainant alleged that she was denied interpreter services

in 2009. The duty to provide reasonable accommodation is ongoing and the

class action case was filed in 2004 - five years prior to the instant

matter. It is not clear from the record what timeframe is covered by

the class action.

Accordingly, the Agency's final decision holding Complainant's complaint

in abeyance is VACATED and the complaint is hereby REMANDED to the

Agency for further processing in accordance with this decision and the

Order below.

ORDER (E0408)

The Agency is ordered to process the remanded claims in accordance with

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 (K1208)

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 77960, Washington,

DC 20013. 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 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) (1994 & Supp. IV 1999).

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

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

See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.409.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M1208)

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 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 (R0408)

This is a decision requiring the Agency to continue its administrative

processing of your complaint. However, if you wish to file a civil

action, you have the right to file such action in an appropriate United

States District Court within ninety (90) calendar days from the date

that you receive this decision. 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 (Z1008)

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

June 17, 2010

__________________

Date

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0120101131

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

Office of Federal Operations

P.O. Box 77960

Washington, DC 20013

2

0120101131