Henry S.v.Dep't of the Interior

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Feb 12, 2019

EEOC Appeal No. 2019001016 (E.E.O.C. Feb. 12, 2019)

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

Henry S.,1
Complainant,

v.

Ryan K. Zinke,
Secretary,
Department of the Interior
(Bureau of Indian Affairs),
Agency.

Appeal No. 2019001016

Agency No. DOI-BIA-18-0395

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC
or Commission) from the Agency's final decision dated September 20, 2018, dismissing his
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.

BACKGROUND

On September 12, 2018, Complainant, a job applicant, filed the instant formal complaint.
Complainant claimed that the Agency subjected him to discrimination on the bases of race, sex,
religion, color, and in reprisal for prior EEO activity when:

he was not selected for the position of Student Trainee (Forestry), GS-0499-2/3/4,
advertised under Vacancy Announcement Number CO 18-22 (Control No.
498880900).

In its September 20, 2018 final decision, the Agency dismissed the complaint, pursuant to 29
C.F.R. § 1614.107(a)(1), for failure to state a claim.

The instant appeal followed.

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.
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ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

The Agency improperly dismissed Complainant’s formal complaint. The only questions for an
agency to consider in determining whether a complaint states a claim are: (1) whether the
complainant is an aggrieved employee; and (2) whether complainant raises employment
discrimination on a basis covered by EEO statutes. If these questions are answered in the
affirmative, an agency must accept the complaint for processing regardless of its judgment of the
merits. See Odoski v. Department of Energy, EEOC Appeal No. 01901496 (April 16, 1990).

In the instant matter, we find that Complainant was aggrieved by the non-selection at issue. The
Agency acknowledged that its dismissal went to the merits when it stated that Complainant was
ineligible for the subject position. The Agency asserted, however, that its analysis was
predicated upon Complainant’s own assertion because he had made the following statements: he
was not a veteran, his course of study was not related to forestry, he was not taking any courses
related to forestry or any other natural science courses, and he did not claim Indian preference.
Irrespective of Complainant’s statements, we nevertheless determine that the Agency’s analysis
improperly goes to the merits of Complainant’s complaint, and is irrelevant to the procedural
issue of whether Complainant has stated a justiciable claim. See Osborn v. Department of the
Treasury, EEOC Request No. 05960111 (July 19, 1996); Lee v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC
Request No. 05930220 (August 12, 1993); Ferrazzoli v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Request No.
05910642 (August 15, 1991).

The Agency’s final decision dismissing the formal complaint is REVERSED for the reason
discussed above. The formal complaint is REMANDED to the Agency for further processing in
accordance with the ORDER below.

ORDER (E0618)
The Agency is ordered to process the remanded claim in accordance with 29 C.F.R. § 1614.108.
The Agency shall acknowledge to the Complainant that it has received the remanded claim
within thirty (30) calendar days of the date this decision was issued. The Agency shall issue to
Complainant a copy of the investigative file and also shall notify Complainant of the appropriate
rights within one hundred fifty (150) calendar days of the date this decision was issued, unless
the matter is otherwise resolved prior to that time. If the Complainant requests a final decision
without a hearing, the Agency shall issue a final decision within sixty (60) days of receipt of
Complainant’s request.
As provided in the statement entitled "Implementation of the Commission's Decision,” the
Agency must send to the Compliance Officer: 1) a copy of the Agency’s letter of
acknowledgment to Complainant, 2) a copy of the Agency’s notice that transmits the
investigative file and notice of rights, and 3) either a copy of the complainant’s request for a
hearing, a copy of complainant’s request for a FAD, or a statement from the agency that it did
not receive a response from complainant by the end of the election period.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION’S DECISION (K0618)
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Under 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(c) and § 1614.502, compliance with the Commission’s corrective
action is mandatory. Within seven (7) calendar days of the completion of each ordered
corrective action, the Agency shall submit via the Federal Sector EEO Portal (FedSEP)
supporting documents in the digital format required by the Commission, referencing the
compliance docket number under which compliance was being monitored. Once all compliance
is complete, the Agency shall submit via FedSEP a final compliance report in the digital format
required by the Commission. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). The Agency’s final report must
contain supporting documentation when previously not uploaded, and the Agency must send a
copy of all submissions to the Complainant and his/her representative.
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 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) (1994 &
Supp. IV 1999). If the Complainant files a civil action, the administrative processing of the
complaint, including any petition for enforcement, will be terminated. See 29 C.F.R.
§ 1614.409.
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
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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).

COMPLAINANT’S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (R0610)
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 (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.

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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

February 12, 2019
Date