Deborah A. Shriver, Complainant, William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Pacific/Western Region), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionApr 14, 2000
01a01127 (E.E.O.C. Apr. 14, 2000)

01a01127

04-14-2000

Deborah A. Shriver, Complainant, William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Pacific/Western Region), Agency.


Deborah A. Shriver, )

Complainant, )

)

) Appeal No. 01A01127

) Agency No. 4E-852-0112-99

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

(Pacific/Western Region), )

Agency. )

__________________________)

DECISION

Complainant filed an appeal with the Commission from a final

agency decision concerning her complaint of unlawful employment

discrimination.<1> EEOC Regulation at 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (to be

codified at 29 C.F.R. � 1614.402(a)) provides that a final agency decision

on an EEO complaint may be appealed to the Commission within thirty

(30) days of the complainant's receipt of the final agency decision.

EEOC Regulation 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (to be codified at 29 C.F.R. �

1614.403(c)) provides that if a complainant does not file an appeal within

the designated time limits, the appeal will be untimely and shall be

dismissed by the Commission. EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.403(a)

provides that the appeal must be filed with the Director, Office of

Federal Operations, by mail, by personal delivery, or by facsimile.

The record reflects that complainant received the final agency decision

on September 14, 1999. Complainant's appeal, postmarked November 16,

1999, was therefore beyond the thirty (30) day time limit set forth

by our Regulations. The record reveals that the final agency decision

explicitly informed complainant of the time limits on her right to appeal.

The Commission's regulations governing the computation of the time limits

allow for waiver and/or equitable tolling. 29 C.F.R. � 1614.604(c).

On appeal, complainant stated that the nature of her disabilities

(bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and overuse of upper body syndrome) and

the volume of work she was required to perform for the agency concerning

her workplace injury resulted in her failing to realize that she was late

with her appeal. Complainant's explanation is insufficient to invoke

waiver or equitable tolling. Accordingly, the appeal is untimely and

is DISMISSED.

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).

COMPLAINANT'S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S1199)

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:

April 14, 2000

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations

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.