Edward L. Johnson, Complainant,v.Alphonso Jackson, Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJul 21, 2006
01a61864 (E.E.O.C. Jul. 21, 2006)

01a61864

07-21-2006

Edward L. Johnson, Complainant, v. Alphonso Jackson, Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Agency.


Edward L. Johnson,

Complainant,

v.

Alphonso Jackson,

Secretary,

Department of Housing and Urban Development,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A61864

Agency No. 06015

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from the agency's

decision dated December 23, 2005, dismissing 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.

ISSUE PRESENTED

The issue herein is whether the agency's dismissal of complainant's

complaint on the grounds of untimely counselor contact was proper.

BACKGROUND

Complainant alleged in his formal complaint that he was subjected to

discrimination on the bases of race (African-American), sex (male),

and in reprisal for engaging in prior protected EEO activity under Title

VII when:

(1) He was denied performance evaluations for fiscal years 2002, 2003,

and 2004;

(2) He was denied performance awards in fiscal years 2002, 2003, and 2004,

while comparators received performance awards;

(3)

He was subjected to a hostile work environment and harassment from 2001

to 2004 as a result of an inappropriate relationship between his former

supervisor and an employee; and

(4) In March, 2004, he was interrogated by the Office of the Inspector

General as reprisal for his refusal to provide special treatment to an

employee favored by his supervisor;

Complainant, a GS-15 grade employee, initiated contact with an EEO

Counselor on August 26, 2005. In his complaint, complainant indicated

that he did not contact an EEO counselor prior to August 26, 2005, because

of a fear of reprisal. The record reflects that complainant was aware

of performance evaluations prepared for individuals under his supervision

during the month of October following each fiscal year from 2002 to 2004,

while he did not received any evaluations for those years. Complainant

maintained, however, that it was not until he obtained records showing

that other GS-15 grade employees had received performance evaluations

and awards in those fiscal years that he realized that he was being

discriminated against.

The agency dismissed complainant's complaint on the grounds of untimely

counselor contact, finding that complainant had failed to initiate contact

with an EEO counselor within forty-five (45) days of each incident,

and had failed to provide a sufficient justification for extending the

forty-five (45) day limit. 1

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

Claims (1) and (2)

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2) provides, in pertinent part,

that the agency shall dismiss a complaint or a portion of a complaint that

fails to comply with the applicable time limits contained in � 1614.105.

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.105(a)(1) requires that complaints of

discrimination should be brought to the attention of the Equal Employment

Opportunity counselor within forty-five (45) days of the date of the

matter alleged to be discriminatory or, in the case of a personnel

action, within forty-five (45) days of the effective date of the action.

The Commission has adopted a "reasonable suspicion" standard (as opposed

to a "supportive facts" standard) to determine when the forty-five (45)

day limitation period is triggered. See Howard v. Department of the Navy,

EEOC Request No. 05970852 (February 11, 1999). Thus, the time limitation

is not triggered until a complainant reasonably suspects discrimination,

but before all the facts that support a charge of discrimination have

become apparent.

Claims (1) and (2) may be properly dismissed for untimely counselor

contact because complainant failed to contact an EEO Counselor within

forty-five (45) days of becoming reasonably suspicious of discrimination.

On appeal, complainant contends that because he contacted an EEO officer

within forty-five (45) days of receiving confirmation that other GS-15

grade employees received performance evaluations and awards, claims (1)

and (2) should be considered timely. However, the reasonable suspicion

standard requires that the forty-five (45) day limit begin as soon as

a complainant has a reasonable suspicion, not knowledge or proof, of

discrimination. The fact that complainant sought out records of other

GS-15 grade employees' performance evaluations and awards indicates that

he had a reasonable suspicion of discrimination at the time he sought

the records. These records were received by complainant in August

2005; however, complainant did not argue or establish that the records

were sought during the 45-day period that preceded his August 26, 2005

counselor contact. Therefore, because nothing in the record suggests

that complainant was not reasonably suspicious of discrimination prior

to receiving the records of his co-workers, we find that claims (1) and

(2) were properly dismissed for untimely EEO Counselor contact.2

Claims (3) and (4)

On appeal, complainant indicated that, "I believe that HUD erred in its

decision regarding the timeliness of certain aspects of my complaint.

I have chosen to counter HUD's assertions by responding to deficiencies in

its legal analysis . . . ." Complainant went on to outline his concerns

regarding claims (1) and (2). He did not address the dismissals of

claims (3) and (4), however. The Commission has the discretion to review

only those issues specifically raised in an appeal. Equal Employment

Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614, 9-10 (November

9, 1999). As such, we will not address the dismissal of claims (3) and

(4) because it appears that complainant is not contesting the agency's

determination regarding these matters.

Accordingly, the agency's final decision is hereby affirmed.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0701)

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

____07-21-06______________

Date

1 The agency's decision did not list claim (4) among the allegations

raised in complainant's complaint. Because the agency found that "none

of" complainant's claims were timely, we will assume that the agency

intended to also dismiss claim (4), which occurred in March 2004.

2 The agency, in its final decision, correctly stated the Commission's

position that the fear of reprisal is not an adequate justification for

extending the time limitation period for contacting an EEO Counselor.

See Parker v. Department of Veterans Affairs, EEOC Request No. 05940436

(February 9, 1995).

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01A61864

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

Office of Federal Operations

P. O. Box 19848

Washington, D.C. 20036

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01A61864