Janice M. Hester, Appellant,v.F. Whitten Peters, Acting Secretary, Department of the Air Force, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionOct 21, 1999
01992315 (E.E.O.C. Oct. 21, 1999)

01992315

10-21-1999

Janice M. Hester, Appellant, v. F. Whitten Peters, Acting Secretary, Department of the Air Force, Agency.


Janice M. Hester v. Department of the Air Force

01992315

October 21, 1999

Janice M. Hester, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01992315

) Agency No. AL900990347

F. Whitten Peters, )

Acting Secretary, )

Department of the Air Force, )

Agency. )

)

DECISION

Upon review, we find that allegations 1-2 and 4 of appellant's complaint

were properly dismissed pursuant to 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(b), on the

grounds that appellant failed to contact an EEO Counselor in a timely

manner. The record reveals that appellant was downgraded from a GS-11

to a GS-05 as a result of a reduction-in-force action in the Spring

of 1996; appellant suffered a loss of pay beginning on April 1, 1998,

as a result of the reduction-in-force; and appellant was not selected

for Construction Inspector positions in the Summer of 1997 and April

of 1998. Appellant initiated contact with an EEO Counselor on August

5, 1998. We find that appellant failed to contact an EEO Counselor

with regard to allegations 1-2 and 4 within the 45-day limitation

period. Appellant failed to act with due diligence or prudent regard

for her rights. O'Dell v. Department of Health and Human Services,

EEOC Request No. 05901130 (December 27, 1990); Baldwin County Welcome

Center v. Brown, 466 U.S. 147, 151 (1984) (per curiam). We find that

appellant failed to submit adequate justification for an extension of

the 45-day limitation period. Appellant claimed that she did not suspect

discrimination with regard to the dismissed allegations until after the

investigation of a grievance filed against her supervisor on August 6,

1998; however, appellant failed to explain how this incident triggered

her suspicion of discrimination. We find that the incidents in question

were discrete actions, which should have triggered appellant's suspicion

of discrimination at the time they occurred. See Anvari v. Department

of Health and Human Services, EEOC Request No. 05930157 (June 17, 1993);

Jackson v. U.S. Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05950780 (June 27, 1997).

Appellant failed to present adequate justification to warrant an extension

of the 45-day time limit for initiating EEO contact. Accordingly, the

final agency decision dismissing allegations 1-2 and 4 of appellant's

complaint is hereby AFFIRMED.

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. 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:

October 21, 1999

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations