John P. Rowland, Appellant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionOct 15, 1999
01992573 (E.E.O.C. Oct. 15, 1999)

01992573

10-15-1999

John P. Rowland, Appellant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


John P. Rowland, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01992573

) Agency No. 4-H-335-0335-98

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

Agency. )

)

DECISION

The Commission finds that the agency's January 6, 1999 decision dismissing

the complaint on the grounds of untimely EEO counselor contact is proper,

pursuant to 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(b).

The record shows that appellant sought EEO counseling on July 24, 1998,

alleging that he had been discriminated against on the bases of race,

color, sex, disability, and reprisal when on May 26, 1998, he received

a seven-day suspension that was later reduced to a letter of warning.

Appellant subsequently filed a formal complaint of discrimination

regarding this issue and claimed that the suspension was an attempt to

intimidate him.

The agency dismissed the complaint on the grounds of untimely EEO

Counselor contact.

The Commission applies a "reasonable suspicion" standard to the

triggering date for determining the timeliness of the contact with an

EEO counselor. Cochran v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Request

No. 05920399 (June 18, 1992). Under this standard, the time period

for contacting an EEO counselor is triggered when the complainant should

reasonably suspect discrimination, but before all the facts that would

support a charge of discrimination may have become apparent. Id.;

Paredes v. Nagle, 27 FEP Cases 1345 (D.D.C. 1982).

A review of the instant complaint shows that appellant does not claim

that he was unaware of the limitation period for timely contacting an EEO

Counselor. Appellant had, or should have had, a reasonable suspicion of

unlawful employment discrimination on the date he was issued the seven-day

suspension, and should have sought EEO counseling within forty-five days

of that date. Appellant has failed to present adequate justification

pursuant to 29 C.F.R. �1614.105(a)(2), for extending the limitation

period beyond forty-five days. Accordingly, the agency's decision to

dismiss appellant's complaint for failure to initiate contact with an

EEO Counselor in a timely fashion was proper and is 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. �l6l4.604(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 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 15, 1999

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations