Helen L. Wright, Appellant,v.Janet Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionOct 21, 1999
01984659 (E.E.O.C. Oct. 21, 1999)

01984659

10-21-1999

Helen L. Wright, Appellant, v. Janet Reno, Attorney General, Department of Justice, Agency.


Helen L. Wright v. Department of Justice

01984659

October 21, 1999

Helen L. Wright, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01984659

) Agency No. P-98-9352

Janet Reno, )

Attorney General, )

Department of Justice, )

Agency. )

)

DECISION

Appellant filed an appeal with this Commission from a final decision of

the agency concerning her complaint of unlawful employment discrimination,

in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended,

42 U.S.C. �2000e et seq. The final agency decision was received by

appellant on May 1, 1998. The appeal was postmarked May 19, 1998.

Accordingly, the appeal is timely (see 29 C.F.R. �1614.402(a)), and is

accepted in accordance with EEOC Order No. 960, as amended.

Appellant contacted an EEO counselor on October 3, 1997, alleging that

on September 16, 1997, she learned that she would be reassigned to

another institution. Informal efforts to resolve appellant's concerns

were unsuccessful.

On December 22, 1997, appellant filed a formal complaint alleging that

she was the victim of unlawful employment discrimination on the bases

of sex and reprisal. Appellant's complaint was comprised of the matter

for which she underwent EEO counseling, discussed above.

On April 10, 1998, the agency issued a final decision dismissing

appellant's complaint for failure to state a claim. Specifically, the

agency determined that appellant had not yet been reassigned nor had a

date been given for her reassignment. The agency found that appellant

had not been harmed as a result of any concrete agency action.

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(a) provides, in relevant part, that

an agency shall dismiss a complaint, or portion thereof, 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;

�1614.106(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).

Appellant contends that the agency engaged in discriminatory conduct when

on September 16, 1997, it informed her that she would be reassigned to

another institution. The record indicates that the agency considered

appellant for reassignment to alleviate personality conflicts within

her department. The record indicates further, however, that no such

reassignment has occurred. The agency indicates that it has taken

no action to reassign appellant and that there is no date pending for

such action. The agency asserts that appellant has not been harmed with

respect to a term, condition or privilege of her employment. On appeal,

appellant contends that the agency has engaged in harassing conduct by

advising her that she would be reassigned. Appellant alleges further

that the agency has created a hostile work environment which has caused

her to suffer medical and emotional problems.

Upon review, the Commission finds that appellant has failed to show

how she was aggrieved by the agency's conduct. Appellant has not been

reassigned, and her salary and duties have not been changed as a result

of the agency's purported conduct on September 16, 1997. In the absence

of evidence indicating that appellant has been harmed with respect to a

specific term condition or privilege of her employment, we must affirm

the agency's decision. Furthermore, appellant's complaint as well as her

assertions on appeal are insufficient to state a claim of harassment.

Accordingly, the agency's decision dismissing appellant's complaint for

failure to state a claim is hereby AFFIRMED for the reasons set forth

herein.

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. �1614.604(c).

RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S0993)

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 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 (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:

10/21/1999

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations