01986227
01-12-2000
Joseph M. Fanelli v. Department of the Treasury
01986227
January 12, 2000
Joseph M. Fanelli, )
Complainant, )
)
v. ) Appeal No. 01986227
) Agency No. 98-1259
Lawrence H. Summers, )
Secretary, )
Department of the Treasury, )
Agency. )
)
DECISION
Upon review, we find that the complaint was properly dismissed pursuant
to 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter
cited as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2)), on the grounds that complainant
failed to contact an EEO Counselor in a timely manner.<1> The record
reveals that on October 23, 1997, complainant learned that management
issued a younger inspector an award rather than him for a project
that complainant had initiated and worked on. Complainant did not
initiate contact with an EEO Counselor until March 12, 1998, after
the expiration of the 45-day limitation period. Complainant indicates
that his contact of an EEO Counselor was delayed for several reasons.
Complainant states that he held off contacting an EEO Counselor because
he wanted to research his documents, but that he developed pneumonia and
was hospitalized on November 24, 1997. Complainant states that he did
not return to work until February 9, 1998. According to complainant,
after his return to work, the alleged discrimination slipped his mind
until he finally contacted the EEO Counselor. A month passed between
the time that complainant learned of the alleged discrimination and his
hospitalization. Another month passed between the time that complainant
returned to work and his contact of an EEO Counselor. We find that
complainant failed to act with due diligence or prudent regard for
his 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). Complainant failed to
submit adequate justification for an extension of the 45-day limitation
period. Accordingly, the final agency decision dismissing the complaint
is hereby AFFIRMED.
STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION (M1199)
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 or WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR
DAYS OF RECEIPT OF ANOTHER PARTY'S TIMELY REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION.
See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter
referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405). All requests and arguments must 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
timely filed if it is received by mail within five days of the expiration
of the applicable filing period. See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,661 (1999)
(to be codified and hereinafter referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.604).
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 (S1199)
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. 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 (Z1199)
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:
January 12, 2000
_______________________________
DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director
Office of Federal Operations
CERTIFICATE OF MAILING
For timeliness purposes, the Commission will presume that this decision
was received within five (5) calendar days of mailing. I certify that
the decision was mailed to complainant, complainant's representative,
and the agency on:
DATE
1On November 9, 1999, revised regulations governing the EEOC's federal
sector complaint process went into effect. These regulations apply to all
Federal sector EEO complaints pending at any stage in the administrative
process. Consequently, the Commission will apply the revised regulations
found at 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644 (1999), where applicable, in deciding the
present appeal. The regulations, as amended, may also be found at the
Commission's website at WWW.EEOC.GOV.