Dorothy Benjamin, Appellant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJan 12, 1999
01975120 (E.E.O.C. Jan. 12, 1999)

01975120

01-12-1999

Dorothy Benjamin, Appellant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Dorothy Benjamin v. United States Postal Service

01975120

January 12, 1999

Dorothy Benjamin, )

Appellant, )

)

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01975120

) Agency No. 4D-290-0013-97

)

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

Agency. )

______________________________)

DECISION

On June 11, 1997, appellant filed a timely appeal with this Commission

from a final agency decision (FAD) received by her on May 20, 1997,

pertaining to 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. In her complaint, appellant alleged that she was

subjected to discrimination on the bases of race (Black), sex (female),

and in reprisal for prior EEO activity when:

On September 24, 1996, appellant's supervisor (S1) yelled at appellant

and told her when a coworker (CW1) tells her to do something, she was to

do it, even though CW1 at that time was not in a supervisory capacity;

On September 26, 1996, S1 told appellant not to pull down certified

mail;<1> and

On September 27, 1996, CW1 snatched an express mail piece out of

appellant's hand and said to her, "Just do what I tell you to do."

The agency dismissed appellant's complaint pursuant to EEOC Regulation

29 U.S.C. �1614.107(a), for failure to state a claim. Specifically,

the agency determined that appellant failed to be aggrieved as a result

of the incidents identified in her complaint because she suffered no

harm to the terms, conditions, or privileges of her employment.

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(a) provides that an agency may dismiss

a complaint which fails to state a claim. An agency shall accept a

complaint from any aggrieved employee or applicant for employment who

believes that he or she has been discriminated against by that agency

because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disabling

condition. 29 C.F.R. �1614.103; �1614.106(a). The Commission's federal

sector case precedent has long defined an "aggrieved employee" as one

who suffers a present harm or loss with respect to a term, condition, or

privilege of employment for which there is a remedy. Diaz v. Department

of the Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April 21, 1994).

In the instant case, we find that allegations (1) and (3) were

properly dismissed for failure to state a claim. The Commission has

repeatedly found that remarks or comments unaccompanied by a concrete

agency action are not a direct and personal deprivation sufficient to

render an individual aggrieved for the purposes of Title VII. See Backo

v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Request No. 05960227 (June 10, 1996); Henry

v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Request No. 05940695 (February 9, 1995).

As no concrete agency action accompanied the statements made to appellant,

we find that allegations (1) and (3) fail to state a claim.

With regard to allegation (2), however, we find that the agency's decision

was in error. Appellant alleged that because of her race, sex, and prior

EEO activity, on September 26, 1996, she was instructed not to perform

one of the duties of her position. We find that appellant properly

alleged harm to a term, condition, or privilege of her employment, i.e.,

the removal of one of her duties. Accordingly, appellant stated a claim

upon which relief can be granted.

Accordingly, the agency's decision to dismiss allegations (1) and (3)

is AFFIRMED for the reasons set forth herein. The agency's decision to

dismiss allegation (2) is hereby REVERSED. Allegation (2) is REMANDED

to the agency for further processing in accordance with this decision

and the Order below.

ORDER (E1092)

The agency is ORDERED to process the remanded allegation in accordance

with 29 C.F.R. �1614.108. The agency shall acknowledge to the appellant

that it has received the remanded allegation within thirty (30) calendar

days of the date this decision becomes final. The agency shall issue to

appellant a copy of the investigative file and also shall notify appellant

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 appellant requests a final decision

without a hearing, the agency shall issue a final decision within sixty

(60) days of receipt of appellant's request.

A copy of the agency's letter of acknowledgment to appellant 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 (K0595)

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 19848,

Washington, D.C. 20036. The agency's report must contain supporting

documentation, and the agency must send a copy of all submissions to

the appellant. If the agency does not comply with the Commission's

order, the appellant may petition the Commission for enforcement of

the order. 29 C.F.R. �1614.503(a). The appellant 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. ��1614.408, 1614.409, and 1614.503(g). Alternatively,

the appellant 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. ��1614.408 and 1614.409. 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) (Supp. V 1993). If the

appellant files a civil action, the administrative processing of the

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

See 29 C.F.R. �1614.410.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0795)

The Commission may, in its discretion, reconsider the decision in this

case if the appellant or the agency submits a written request containing

arguments or evidence which tend to establish that:

1. New and material evidence is available that was not readily available

when the previous decision was issued; or

2. The previous decision involved an erroneous interpretation of law,

regulation or material fact, or misapplication of established policy; or

3. The decision is of such exceptional nature as to have substantial

precedential implications.

Requests to reconsider, with supporting arguments or evidence, MUST

BE FILED WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive this

decision, or WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive

a timely request to reconsider filed by another party. Any argument in

opposition to the request to reconsider or cross request to reconsider

MUST be submitted to the Commission and to the requesting party

WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive the request

to reconsider. See 29 C.F.R. �1614.407. All requests and arguments

must bear proof of postmark and 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 filed on the date it is received

by the Commission.

Failure to file within the time period will result in dismissal of your

request for reconsideration as untimely. If extenuating circumstances

have prevented the timely filing of a request for reconsideration,

a written statement setting forth the circumstances which caused the

delay and 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).

RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (T0993)

This decision affirms the agency's final decision in part, but it also

requires the agency to continue its administrative processing of a

portion of your complaint. You have the right to file a civil action

in an appropriate United States District Court on both that portion of

your complaint which the Commission has affirmed AND that portion of the

complaint which has been remanded for continued administrative processing.

It is the position of the Commission that 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.

You should be aware, however, that courts in some jurisdictions have

interpreted the Civil Rights Act of 1991 in a manner suggesting that

a civil action must be filed WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS from the

date that you receive this decision. To ensure that your civil action

is considered timely, you are advised to file it WITHIN THIRTY (30)

CALENDAR DAYS from the date that you receive this decision or to consult

an attorney concerning the applicable time period in the jurisdiction

in which your action would be filed. 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. 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 (Z1092)

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:

Jan. 12, 1999

____________________________

DATE Ronnie Blumenthal, Director

Office of Federal Operations

1The Commission notes that the FAD identified allegation (1) as appellant

being told to pull down certified mail. However, a review of the record

discloses that appellant's complaint focused on her being told not to pull

down certified mail.