01981758
01-12-1999
Gregory A. Brown, Appellant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.
Gregory A. Brown v. United States Postal Service
01981758
January 12, 1999
Gregory A. Brown, )
Appellant, )
)
v. ) Appeal No. 01981758
) Agency No. 4E-956-0006-98
William J. Henderson, )
Postmaster General, )
United States Postal Service, )
Agency. )
___________________________________)
DECISION
Appellant filed the instant appeal from the agency's decision dated
December 11, 1997 dismissing appellant's complaint for untimely EEO
Counselor contact.
The Commission finds that the agency properly dismissed allegations 1
(14 day suspension on May 8, 1997) and 2 (April 14, 1997 - appellant
stepped in a hole while delivering mail because the agency failed to
accommodate appellant's medical limitations) on the grounds that appellant
failed to timely contact an EEO Counselor. 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(b).
The Commission finds that appellant should have reasonably suspected the
alleged discriminatory nature of allegation 2, failure to accommodate,
at the time of the incident in allegation 2 which was more than 45
days before he contacted an EEO Counselor. The suspension at issue in
allegation 1 was issued, according to the suspension, because appellant
stepped into a hole on April 14, 1997. The Commission finds that because
appellant already should have reasonably suspected discrimination about
the April 14, 1997 incident prior to the suspension, the disciplinary
action concerning the April 14, 1997 incident should have also reasonably
caused appellant to suspect discrimination. Therefore, we find that
appellant should have reasonably suspected discrimination regarding
allegation 1 at the time he received the notice of suspension which was
more than 45 days before he contacted an EEO Counselor.
In allegation 3 appellant alleged that the agency failed to accommodate
his medical limitations. Appellant alleged that allegation 3 was
"ongoing." Appellant did not define allegation 3 any more specifically.
The Commission finds that this allegation is recurring in nature.
The Commission finds that the portion of allegation 3 occurring 45 days
or less prior to appellant's initial contact of an EEO Counselor on
September 8, 1997 is timely and was improperly dismissed. The portion of
allegation 3 occurring more than 45 days prior to appellant's initial
contact of an EEO Counselor on September 8, 1997 is untimely and
was properly dismissed pursuant to �1614.107(b) because we find that
appellant should have reasonably suspected discrimination when he was
allegedly not accommodated.
The agency defined allegation 4 as follows: "[T]he agency allegedly
retaliated against the complainant when he sought accommodation of his
medical limitations." It is unclear from this definition of allegation 4
what incidents occurred in allegation 4 and when those incidents occurred.
The record does not clarify allegation 4. The Commission can not
determine if allegation 4 was timely raised without clarification of this
allegation. Therefore, we shall remand allegation 4 for clarification.
The agency's decision dismissing allegations 1, 2, and the portion
of allegation 3 occurring more than 45 days prior to appellant's
initial contact of an EEO Counselor on September 8, 1997 is AFFIRMED.
The agency's decision dismissing the portion of allegation 3 occurring 45
days or less prior to appellant's initial contact of an EEO Counselor on
September 8, 1997 is REVERSED and we REMAND this portion of allegation 3
to the agency for further processing in accordance with this decision and
applicable regulations. The agency's decision dismissing allegation 4 is
VACATED and we REMAND allegation 4 to the agency for further processing
in accordance with this decision and applicable regulations.
ORDER
The agency is ORDERED to process the remanded portion of allegation 3 in
accordance with 29 C.F.R. �1614.108. The agency shall acknowledge to
the appellant that it has received the remanded portion of allegation
3 within 30 calendar days of the date this decision becomes final.
The agency shall issue to appellant a copy of the investigative file
and also shall notify appellant of the appropriate rights within 150
calendar days of the date this decision becomes final, unless the matter
is otherwise resolved prior to that time. If the appellant requests
a final decision without a hearing, the agency shall issue a final
decision within 60 days of receipt of appellant's request. A copy of
the agency's letter of acknowledgement to appellant and a copy of the
notice that transmits the investigative file and notice of rights must
be sent to the Compliance Officer as referenced herein.
The agency shall contact appellant to clarify the specific incidents at
issue in allegation 4 and the dates of those incidents. Within 30 days
of the date this decision becomes final the agency shall either issue
a letter to appellant accepting allegation 4 for investigation or issue
a new decision dismissing allegation 4. A copy of the agency's letter
accepting allegation 4 or a copy of the agency's decision dismissing
allegation 4 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(c) (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. �l6l4.604(c).
RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (T0993)
This decision affirms the agency's final decision in part, but it also
requires the agency to continue its administrative processing of a
portion of your complaint. You have the right to file a civil action
in an appropriate United States District Court on both that portion of
your complaint which the Commission has affirmed AND that portion of the
complaint which has been remanded for continued administrative processing.
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 your appeal with the
Commission, until such time as the agency issues its final decision
on your complaint. 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 (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:
January 12, 1999
DATE Ronnie Blumenthal, Director
Office of Federal Operations