Don C. Terrill, Complainant,v.Alexis M. Herman, Secretary, Department of Labor, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionDec 7, 2000
01997102 (E.E.O.C. Dec. 7, 2000)

01997102

12-07-2000

Don C. Terrill, Complainant, v. Alexis M. Herman, Secretary, Department of Labor, Agency.


Don C. Terrill v. Department of Labor

01997102

December 7, 2000

.

Don C. Terrill,

Complainant,

v.

Alexis M. Herman,

Secretary,

Department of Labor,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01997102

Agency No. 9-11-118

DECISION

On September 17, 1999, complainant filed an appeal with this Commission

from an agency decision pertaining to his complaint of unlawful employment

discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

(Title VII), as amended, 42 U.S.C. � 2000e et seq.<1> The Commission

accepts the appeal in accordance with 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405.

Complainant contacted the EEO office regarding claims of discrimination.

Specifically, complainant claimed that he was denied a fair and impartial

investigation and decision on his prior complaint (Case No. 9-11-035)

as a result of the Civil Rights Center Director's participation and

supervision. Informal efforts to resolve complainant's concerns were

unsuccessful. Subsequently, complainant filed a formal complaint,

dated May 7, 1999.

On August 18, 1999, the agency issued a decision dismissing the complaint

for failure to state a claim. The agency noted that in his prior

complaint (Case No. 9-11-035), complainant claimed he was discriminated

against based on his national origin (Confederate-American) when he was

denied permission to enter a display celebrating Confederate-Americans

in the agency's Diversity Day program. The agency determined that the

complaint was properly dismissed by the Director for failure to state

a claim. According to the agency, because the dismissal was required

as a matter of law, the instant case must also be dismissed for failure

to state a claim.

As an initial matter we find that though the agency dismissed the

complaint for failure to state a claim, this case is properly analyzed

on the grounds of whether complainant alleged dissatisfaction with

the processing of a previously filed complaint. See 29 C.F.R. �

1614.107(a)(8).

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(8) provides that claims

alleging dissatisfaction with the processing of a prior complaint must

be dismissed. Dissatisfaction with the EEO process must be raised within

the underlying complaint, not a new complaint. See EEOC-Management

Directive 110 (as revised Nov. 9, 1999) 5-23, 5-25 to 5-26.

On appeal, complainant asserts that �[m]y complaint is based on action

taken by the Director, Civil Rights Center to dismiss my EEO complaint

of 27 November 1998....� In addition to attacking the actions of

the Director, complainant disputes the cases and reasoning utilized

by the agency in dismissing his prior complaint. Therefore, the

Commission finds that the complaint is properly dismissed pursuant to

29 C.F.R. �1614.107(a)(8), as it concerns the processing of his prior

complaint. Rather than filing a new complaint, complainant should

have raised his concerns in his appeal of the prior complaint (Terrill

v. Department of Labor, EEOC Appeal No. 01992831 (May 31, 2000)) or

should have contacted the agency official responsible for the quality

of complaint processing. Accordingly, the agency's decision to dismiss

the complaint was proper and is hereby 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

December 7, 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.