Jeffry Chierici, Appellant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionNov 5, 1999
01994390 (E.E.O.C. Nov. 5, 1999)

01994390

11-05-1999

Jeffry Chierici, Appellant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Jeffry Chierici v. United States Postal Service

01994390

November 5, 1999

Jeffry Chierici, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01994390

William J. Henderson, ) Agency No. 4C-150-0046-99

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

Agency. )

______________________________)

DECISION

On May 7, 1999, appellant filed a timely appeal with this Commission

from a final agency decision (FAD), pertaining to his complaint of

unlawful employment discrimination in violation of Section 501 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. �791 et seq. And

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. �2000e

et seq. In his complaint, appellant alleged that he was subjected to

discrimination on the basis of disability and reprisal for prior EEO

activity.

The agency dismissed allegations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, and

12 pursuant to EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. �1614.105(a)(1)which requires

that complaints of discrimination should be brought to the attention

of the Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor within forty-five (45)

days of the date of the matter alleged to be discriminatory or, in the

case of a personnel action, within forty-five (45) days of the effective

date of the action.

The appellant contends that he reasonably believed that he was prohibited

from filing a discrimination complaint on the basis of disability.

EEOC Regulations provide that the agency or the Commission shall extend

the time limits when the individual shows that she was not notified of the

time limits and was not otherwise aware of them, that she did not know

and reasonably should not have known that the discriminatory matter or

personnel action occurred, that despite due diligence she was prevented

by circumstances beyond her control from contacting the Counselor within

the time limits, or for other reasons considered sufficient by the agency

or the Commission.

Appellant alleges that he was unaware that he could file a claim

for disability discrimination. We note that the appellant did file,

and later withdrew a precomplaint counseling form. The precompaint

counseling form defines Discrimination Factors as follows:

In the Postal Service prohibited discrimination includes actions taken

based on your Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Age (40+), National Origin,

Physical and/or Mental Disability, of Retaliation (action based on your

participation in prior EEO activity). These categories are referred to

on this form as factors.

If the appellant believed that he was prohibited from filing a

discrimination complaint on the basis of disability, we find on

the current record that that belief was not a reasonable belief as

contemplated by the regulations. Accordingly, we affirm the dismissal

of allegations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12 of appellant's

complaint.

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:

11/05/1999 ____________________________

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations