Elba D. Acuna, Appellant,v.Janet Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionSep 14, 1999
01986513 (E.E.O.C. Sep. 14, 1999)

01986513

09-14-1999

Elba D. Acuna, Appellant, v. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Agency.


Elba D. Acuna v. Department of Justice

01986513

September 14, 1999

Elba D. Acuna, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01986513

) Agency No. F-97-5076

Janet Reno, )

Attorney General, )

Department of Justice, )

Agency. )

_________________________________)

DECISION

Appellant filed the instant appeal from the agency's decision dated July

24, 1998 dismissing appellant's complaint for failing to state a claim

pursuant to 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(a). In the complaint appellant alleged

that she was harassed when electronic communications (ECs) dated July 1,

1997 and August 13, 1997 were written about appellant which reflected

negatively on appellant's performance. The agency found that the ECs did

not result in any harm to appellant. On appeal the agency also argues

that the matter was settled in an agreement entered into on April 6,

1999.

Settlement Agreement

The April 6, 1999 settlement agreement between appellant and the agency

resolved F-96-4869 which is not the present case. Paragraph Four of

the agreement provides that appellant,

agrees to forebear any right she may now possess to reinstitute or

initiate any future claims or proceedings before the EEOC and/or the

U.S. Department of Justice involving the same allegations or subject

matter of the above-captioned Complaint . . .

The settlement agreement states that the complaint in F-96-4869 was

filed on September 21, 1996. The issues accepted for investigation in

F-96-4869 concern incidents in August 1996. The incidents in the instant

complaint occurred in July and August 1997 and were not part of F-96-4869.

Furthermore, although the instant complaint concerns allegations of

harassment apparently by the same agency official as in F-96-4869,

appellant did not (and could not) prospectively waive appellant's

right to file a discrimination complaint concerning future alleged

discriminatory acts. Therefore, we find that the instant allegations

were not settled in the April 6, 1999 settlement agreement.

Failure to State a Claim

The record is not clear as to whether the ECs are part of any official

agency files regarding appellant. If the ECs are maintained by the

agency in an official file and if the ECs negatively reflect on appellant,

then appellant may be aggrieved. The Commission shall remand the matter

so the agency can supplement the record with affidavits from appropriate

agency officials indicating whether the ECs at issue are kept in official

agency files regarding appellant.

The agency's decision dismissing the complaint is VACATED and we REMAND

the complaint to the agency for further processing in accordance with

this decision and applicable regulations.

ORDER

The agency shall supplement the record with affidavits from appropriate

agency officials indicating whether the ECs at issue are kept in

official agency files regarding appellant. Within 60 days of the

date this decision becomes final the agency shall issue a letter to

appellant accepting the complaint for investigation or issue a new

decision dismissing the complaint. A copy of the letter accepting the

complaint or new decision dismissing the complaint must be sent to the

Compliance Officer as referenced herein.

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� (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 (R0993)

This is a decision requiring the agency to continue its administrative

processing of your complaint. However, if you wish to file a civil

action, you have the right to file such action in an appropriate United

States District Court. 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.

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:

September 14, 1999

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations