Foster W.,1 Complainant,v.Ashton B. Carter, Secretary, Department of Defense (Office of the Secretary of Defense), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Jun 16, 2016

0520160223 (E.E.O.C. Jun. 16, 2016)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013

Foster W.,1
Complainant,

v.

Ashton B. Carter,
Secretary,
Department of Defense
(Office of the Secretary of Defense),
Agency.

Request No. 0520160223

Appeal No. 0120160471

Agency No. 2015FMD040

DECISION ON REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION

Complainant timely requested reconsideration of the decision in EEOC Appeal No.
0120160471 (February 23, 2016). EEOC Regulations provide that the Commission may, in its
discretion, grant a request to reconsider any previous Commission decision where the
requesting party demonstrates 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. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(c).

The record indicates that the Agency identified Complainant’s complaint as alleging
discrimination based on race (African-American) and color (black/brown) when he was
subjected to harassment on a number of occasions from August 12, 2015, to September 22,
2015. Complainant did not dispute the Agency’s framing of his claims. The Agency issued its
final decision dismissing the complaint for failure to state a claim pursuant to 29 C.F.R.
§1614.107(a)(1). Complainant appealed the Agency’s decision and other than filing a notice of
appeal, he did not file his appeal brief. The Commission previously affirmed the Agency’s
final decision. In his request, Complainant claims that his complaint was improperly
dismissed.

1 This case has been randomly assigned a pseudonym which will replace Complainant’s name
when the decision is published to non-parties and the Commission’s website.
0520160223

2

After reviewing the previous decision and the entire record, the Commission finds that the
request fails to meet the criteria of 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(c), and it is the decision of the
Commission to deny the request. The decision in EEOC Appeal No. 0120160471 remains the
Commission's decision. There is no further right of administrative appeal on the decision of
the Commission on this request.

COMPLAINANT’S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (P0610)

This decision of the Commission is final, and there is no further right of administrative appeal
from the Commission’s decision. 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.

RIGHT TO REQUEST COUNSEL (Z0815)

If you want to file a civil action but cannot pay the fees, costs, or security to do so, you may
request permission from the court to proceed with the civil action without paying these fees or
costs. Similarly, if you cannot afford an attorney to represent you in the civil action, you may
request the court to appoint an attorney for you. You must submit the requests for waiver of
court costs or appointment of an attorney directly to the court, not the Commission. The court
has the sole discretion to grant or deny these types of requests. Such requests do not alter the
time limits for filing a civil action (please read the paragraph titled Complainant’s Right to File
a Civil Action for the specific time limits).

FOR THE COMMISSION:

______________________________ Carlton M. Hadden’s signature
Carlton M. Hadden, Director
Office of Federal Operations

June 16, 2016
Date