Harold L. Bibb, et al., Complainant, Lawrence H. Summers, Secretary, Department of the Treasury, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJul 11, 2000
05a00867 (E.E.O.C. Jul. 11, 2000)

05a00867

07-11-2000

Harold L. Bibb, et al., Complainant, Lawrence H. Summers, Secretary, Department of the Treasury, Agency.


Harold L. Bibb, et al. v. Department of the Treasury

05A00867

July 11, 2000

Harold L. Bibb, et al., )

Complainant, ) Request No. 05A00867

) Appeal No. 01994281

) Agency No. 96-0022C

) Hearing No. 250-96-8285X

Lawrence H. Summers, )

Secretary, )

Department of the Treasury, )

Agency. )

____________________________________)

DENIAL OF REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION

The agency initiated a request to the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission to reconsider the decision in Harold L. Bibb, et

al. v. Department of the Treasury, EEOC Appeal No. 01994281 (May 3,

2000).<1> EEOC Regulations provide that the Commission may, in its

discretion, 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 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(b)).

The Commission's prior decision found that the Administrative Judge's

decision became the final decision of the agency pursuant to EEOC

Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.204(d)(7), when the agency failed to timely

issue a decision that modified or rejected the Administrative Judge's

decision. EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.204(d)(7) required agencies

to issue a final agency decision adopting, modifying, or rejecting an

Administrative Judge's recommended decision on class certification within

thirty calendar days of the agency's receipt of the recommended decision.

The Commission's prior decision found that a copy of a signed Domestic

Return Receipt addressed to the agency showed that the agency received the

Administrative Judge's decision on March 3, 1999. The thirtieth calendar

day following March 3, 1999, was Friday, April 2, 1999. However, the

agency did not issue its final decision until Monday, April 5, 1999.

Accordingly, the Commission's prior decision reversed the agency's

dismissal of the class complaint and the agent's individual complaint,

and remanded the class complaint for further processing in accordance

with applicable regulations.

In its request for reconsideration, the agency states that a clerk in

the agency's Office of Equal Opportunity Program (OEOP) signed a Domestic

Return Receipt on March 3, 1999. The agency argues, however, that it has

no records or documents reflecting the March 3, 1999 date. The agency

indicates that the Administrative Judge's decision was date-stamped

as received on March 4, 1999, and that the agency's computerized case

tracking system also indicates that the agency received the Administrative

Judge's decision on March 4, 1999. The agency further indicates that it

has no record of receiving the June 1, 1999 letter from the complainant's

attorney wherein the timeliness issue was raised. The agency contends

therefore, that it has shown good cause for its apparent one-business-day

delay in issuing the final agency decision and has supported its

contentions with new and material evidence that was not known to the

agency prior to the issuance of the Commission's appellate decision.

The agency requests that the Commission grant the agency's request and

reinstate the final agency decision. In addition, the agency raises other

matters that were not addressed in the Commission's appellate decision.

The Commission finds that the agency has not shown good cause for its

failure to timely issue a decision within 30 days of the agency's

receipt of the Administrative Judge's decision. The agency indicates

only that the date on the Domestic Return Receipt card (March 3, 1999)

does not correspond with the date stamp on the Administrative Judge's

decision (March 4, 1999). However, the agency has not submitted an

affidavit from the employee who signed the Domestic Return Receipt on

March 3, 1999, or from the employee who date-stamped the Administrative

Judge's decision on March 4, 1999, that would explain the discrepancy

in the receipt dates. The agency's date-stamping the Administrative

Judge's decision as received in the OEOP one day after receipt by the

agency does not justify extending the 30-calendar-day time limitation

under the doctrines of waiver, estoppel, or equitable tolling set forth

in 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,661 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.604(c)). See Chambliss

v. Department of Defense, Request No. 05930439 (August 12, 1993) (time

limitations period begins to run when the document is received by the

agency's mail room clerk and not when it is actually received by the

addressee).

After a review of the agency's request for reconsideration, the

previous decision, and the appeal record, the Commission finds that the

request fails to meet the criteria of 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(b), and it

is the decision of the Commission to deny the request. The decision

in EEOC Appeal No. 01994281 remains the Commission's final decision.

There is no further right of administrative appeal on the decision of

the Commission on this request for reconsideration.

ORDER

The agency is ORDERED to process the remanded claims in accordance with 64

Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,658 (1999) (to be codified as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.204).

The agency shall acknowledge receipt of the remanded claims within

fifteen calendar days of the date of this decision. Also, the agency

must notify all class members of the acceptance of the class complaint,

as provided in 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,658 (1999) (to be codified as 29

C.F.R. � 1614.204(e)).

A copy of the agency's letter of acknowledgment to complainant and a copy

of the notice must be sent to the Compliance Officer as referenced below.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K1199)

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

complainant. If the agency does not comply with the Commission's order,

the complainant may petition the Commission for enforcement of the order.

29 C.F.R. � 1614.503(a). The complainant 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 64

Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659-60 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 29 C.F.R. �� 1614.407, 1614.408), and 29 C.F.R. �

1614.503(g). Alternatively, the complainant 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. �� 1614.407

and 1614.408. 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 complainant files a civil action, the

administrative processing of the complaint, including any petition for

enforcement, will be terminated. See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999)

(to be codified and hereinafter referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.409).

COMPLAINANTS' RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (R0400)

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 WITHIN NINETY (90) CALENDAR DAYS from the date

that you receive this decision. 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 (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:

July 11, 2000

Date Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations

1On November 9, 1999, revised regulations governing the EEOC's federal

sector complaint process went into effect. These regulations apply to all

federal sector EEO complaints pending at any stage in the administrative

process. Consequently, the Commission will apply the revised regulations

found at 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644 (1999), where applicable, in deciding the

present appeal. The regulations, as amended, may also be found at the

Commission's website at www.eeoc.gov.