Geraldine M. Whitehead, Complainant,v.Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary, Department of Transportation, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionDec 9, 2004
01a33227 (E.E.O.C. Dec. 9, 2004)

01a33227

12-09-2004

Geraldine M. Whitehead, Complainant, v. Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary, Department of Transportation, Agency.


Geraldine M. Whitehead v. Department of Transportation

01A33227

December 9, 2004

.

Geraldine M. Whitehead,

Complainant,

v.

Norman Y. Mineta,

Secretary,

Department of Transportation,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A33227

Agency No. 2-03-3027

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from a final

agency decision, dated April 2, 2003, regarding her 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.

The Commission accepts the appeal in accordance with 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405.

Complainant contacted the EEO office claiming that she was subjected

to a hostile work environment based on race, color and reprisal.

Informal efforts to resolve complainant's concerns were unsuccessful.

On January 3, 2003, complainant filed the instant formal complaint.

In its decision of April 2, 2003, the agency determined that complainant's

complaint was comprised of the following claim:

Complainant was subjected to a hostile work environment by a Compliance

Enforcement Inspector, ASO-305 staff member (September 9-13, 2002)

when she shunned her, perpetuated an uncooperative, rude, hostile, and

intimidating attitude towards her and delayed processing complainant's

inspection paper which effected her ability to perform her duties.

The agency dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim. The

agency noted that, the alleged September 2002 incidents that gave rise to

the complaint included the co-worker remaining silent during a 500-mile

car ride and lunch meals; sat apart from complainant at the airport;

was unfriendly; and did not share use of the rental car. The agency

found that complainant failed to establish that the alleged incidents

resulted in a personal loss or harm to a term, condition or privilege

of her employment.

The regulation set forth at 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1) provides, in

relevant part, that an agency shall dismiss a complaint that 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, .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).

Complainant claimed that a co-worker has subjected her to a hostile

work environment. Complainant addressed a business trip during the

week of September 9, 2002, during which the co-worker purportedly did

not sit near complainant at the airport, did not speak to complainant

during a lengthy drive, and was uncooperative in sharing the rental car.

The Commission determines that complainant has not shown a personal loss

or harm to a term, condition or privilege of her employment. Further,

the alleged events are not sufficiently severe or pervasive to state

a claim of discriminatory harassment. See Cobb v. Department of the

Treasury, EEOC Request No. 05970077 (March 13, 1997).

Accordingly the agency's decision was proper and 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

December 9, 2004

__________________

Date