Dale K. Wingate, Complainant,v.Janet Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionNov 14, 2000
01996090 (E.E.O.C. Nov. 14, 2000)

01996090

11-14-2000

Dale K. Wingate, Complainant, v. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Agency.


Dale K. Wingate v. Department of Justice

01996090

November 14, 2000

.

Dale K. Wingate,

Complainant,

v.

Janet Reno,

Attorney General,

Department of Justice,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01996090

Agency No. M98-0076

DECISION

Upon review, the Commission finds that the complaint was properly

dismissed pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2), for untimely EEO

contact.<1> The record discloses that although the alleged discriminatory

non-selection occurred on November 28, 1994, complainant did not initiate

contact with an EEO Counselor until April 17, 1998. The record reflects

that complainant had, or should have had, a reasonable suspicion of

unlawful employment discrimination more than forty-five days before his

initial EEO contact. Specifically, the record reflects that the day after

complainant received his non-selection letter, he called the agency and

requested a reason for his non-selection. Moreover, the record reflects

that complainant later submitted a Freedom of Information Act request,

on January 4, 1997, in which he asked for the race, sex, age, national

origin, and physical disability of all deputy U.S. Marshals hired since

April 1993.

Based on the foregoing, we find that Complainant's April 17, 1998 initial

EEO Counselor contact was untimely. On appeal, no persuasive arguments or

evidence have been presented to warrant an extension of the time limit

for initiating EEO contact. Accordingly, the agency's final decision

dismissing the complaint is AFFIRMED.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0900)

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 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 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 (S0900)

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, Director

Office of Federal Operations

November 14, 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 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 in deciding the

present appeal. The regulations, as amended, may also be found at the

Commission's website at www.eeoc.gov.