Garland C.,1 Complainant,v.Sonny Perdue, Secretary, Department of Agriculture (Forest Service), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Nov 9, 2018

0120171237 (E.E.O.C. Nov. 9, 2018)

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

Garland C.,1
Complainant,

v.

Sonny Perdue,
Secretary,
Department of Agriculture
(Forest Service),
Agency.

Appeal No. 0120171237

Agency No. FS-2016-00324

DISMISSAL OF APPEAL

Complainant appeals to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or
Commission) from the Agency’s final decision, dated December 15, 2016, concerning his
complaint of unlawful employment discrimination. At the time of events giving rise to this
complaint, Complainant was a former Agency employee and an applicant to the Agency’s Forest
Service, Ravalli County, Trapper Creek Job Corp., located in Darby, Montana. On March 15,
2016, Complainant filed his complaint alleging discrimination based on religion when: in
January 2013, he learned that the GS-0301-09 Liaison Specialist position he was offered and
accepted, advertised under Vacancy Announcement No. 13-510-70003-09930-HJ was
subsequently rescinded; and on an unspecified dated in October 2014, he learned he was not
selected for the GS-0186-11, Supervisory Social Service Assistant position advertised under
Vacancy Announcement 14-JC-59087G-MP.

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. § 1614.402 provides that appeals to the Commission must be filed
within 30 calendar days after complainants receive notice of the agency’s decision.

Complainant admits that he received the Agency’s final decision on December 18, 2016. The
appeal was postmarked February 17, 2017, which was beyond the 30-day time limit set by the
regulations.

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.
0120171237

2
The record reveals that the Agency’s final decision explicitly informed Complainant of the
Commission’s address and the time limits on his right to appeal. On appeal, Complainant
includes a Priority Mail envelope postmarked January 13, 2017, which was returned to his
mailing address indicating “box closed no order,” without a legible addressee’s address.
Complainant, other than merely including the foregoing envelope, does not indicate he
unsuccessfully tried to file his appeal to the Commission on January 13, 2017. The Agency
argues that Complainant’s appeal was untimely. Based on the foregoing, we find that
Complainant fails to provide adequate justification to invoke waiver or equitable tolling for filing
the appeal in an untimely manner.

Accordingly, the appeal is DISMISSED as untimely pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(c).

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION (M0617)
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. A party
shall have twenty (20) calendar days of receipt of another party’s timely request for
reconsideration in which to submit a brief or statement in opposition. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405;
Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110),
at Chap. 9 § VII.B (Aug. 5, 2015). All requests and arguments must be submitted to the
Director, Office of Federal Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Complainant’s request may be submitted via regular mail to P.O. Box 77960, Washington, DC
20013, or by certified mail to 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507. 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
agency’s request must be submitted in digital format via the EEOC’s Federal Sector EEO Portal
(FedSEP). See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). 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).
0120171237

3
COMPLAINANT’S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S0610)
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 (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

November 9, 2018
Date