Joyce A. Scott, Complainant,v.John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJun 19, 2009
0120091267 (E.E.O.C. Jun. 19, 2009)

0120091267

06-19-2009

Joyce A. Scott, Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Joyce A. Scott,

Complainant,

v.

John E. Potter,

Postmaster General,

United States Postal Service,

Agency.

Appeal No. 0120091267

Agency No. 1G721004108

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from the agency's

decision dated December 17, 2008, dismissing her 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., Section

501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended,

29 U.S.C. � 791 et seq., and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act

of 1967 (ADEA), as amended, 29 U.S.C. � 621 et seq. Upon review, the

Commission finds that complainant's complaint was properly dismissed

pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1) for failure to state a claim.

In a complaint dated December 6, 2008, complainant alleged that she was

subjected to discrimination on the bases of race (African-American),

sex (female), disability (carpal tunnel, acute stress disorder), age

(55), and reprisal for prior protected EEO activity under Title VII

in that she has been subjected to hostile work environment harassment.

Complainant's formal complaint and accompanying narrative essentially

details various events of male management staff loitering in her

immediate work area. However, complainant provided no specific account

of impermissible actions, gestures or words directed at her. On appeal,

complainant submits statements from co-workers in support of her claims.

However, these statements also do not allege more than male management

staff coming into the work area and watching employees.

In determining whether a harassment complaint states a claim in cases

where a complainant had not alleged disparate treatment regarding a

specific term, condition, or privilege of employment, the Commission

will examine whether a complainant's factual claims, when considered

together and assumed to be true, were sufficient to state a hostile

or abusive work environment claim. See Estate of Routson v. National

Aeronautics and Space Administration, EEOC Request No. 05970388 (February

26, 1999). A complainant may assert a Title VII cause of action if

the alleged discriminatory conduct was so severe or pervasive that it

created a work environment abusive to employees because of their race,

gender, religion, or national origin. Rideout v. Department of the Army,

EEOC Appeal No. 01933866 (November 22, 1995)( citing Harris v. Forklift

Systems, Inc., 510 U.S. 17, 22 (1993)) request for reconsideration denied

EEOC Request No. 05970995 (May 20, 1999).

Consistent with the Commission's policy and practice of determining

whether a complainant's harassment claims are sufficient to state a

hostile or abusive work environment claim, the Commission has repeatedly

found that claims of a few isolated incidents of alleged harassment

usually are not sufficient to state a harassment claim. See Phillips

v. Department of Veterans Affairs, EEOC Request No. 05960030 (July 12,

1996); Banks v. Health and Human Services, EEOC Request No. 05940481

(February 16, 1995). Moreover, the Commission has repeatedly found that

remarks or comments unaccompanied by a concrete agency action usually are

not a direct and personal deprivation sufficient to render an individual

aggrieved for the purposes of Title VII. See Backo v. United States

Postal Service, EEOC Request No. 05960227 (June 10, 1996); Henry v. United

States Postal Service, EEOC Request No.05940695 (February 9, 1995).

The Commission finds that the complaint fails to state a claim under

the EEOC regulations because complainant failed to allege that she

suffered harm or loss with respect to a term, condition, or privilege of

employment for which there is a remedy. See Diaz v. Department of the

Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April 21, 1994). Further, we find

that the events described, even if proven to be true, would not indicate

that complainant has been subjected to harassment that was sufficiently

severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of her employment. See Cobb

v. Department of the Treasury, Request No. 05970077 (March 13, 1997).

Accordingly, the agency's final decision dismissing complainant's

complaint is affirmed.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M1208)

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 29

C.F.R. � 1614.405; Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for

29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110), 9-18 (November 9, 1999). All requests

and arguments must be submitted to the Director, Office of Federal

Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, P.O. Box 77960,

Washington, DC 20013. 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 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 (S0408)

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 (Z1008)

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 from the Court that

the Court appoint an attorney to represent you and that the Court also

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 with

the Court 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:

______________________________

Carlton M. Hadden, Director

Office of Federal Operations

June 19, 2009

__________________

Date

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0120091267

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

Office of Federal Operations

P.O. Box 77960

Washington, DC 20013

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0120091267