0520160139
04-15-2016
Larraine S.,1 Complainant, v. Gina McCarthy, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, Agency.
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013
Larraine S.,1
Complainant,
v.
Gina McCarthy,
Administrator,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Agency.
Request No. 0520160139
Appeal No. 0120140409
Agency No. 20020042R02
DECISION ON REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION
Complainant timely requested reconsideration of the decision in EEOC Appeal No. 0120140409 (November 25, 2015). EEOC Regulations provide that the Commission may, in its discretion, grant a request to reconsider any previous Commission decision where the requesting party demonstrates 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. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(c).
At the time giving rise to this complaint, Complainant worked as a Physical Scientist, GS-1301-12, at the Agency's facility in New York City. On August 22, 20103, Complainant and the Agency entered into a settlement agreement. The agreement contained a provision that Complainant would not be placed under the supervision of [Person A] or [Person B]. In an EEO complaint filed on June 26, 2013, Complainant alleged that the Agency breached the agreement when Person A acted as her supervisor on April 18, 2013, when he conducted an investigation of an alleged altercation between Complainant and a co-worker.
Our prior appellate decision affirmed the Agency's finding that Complainant's breach claim was untimely raised given that Person A had supervisory authority over Complainant since May 2011.
In her request for reconsideration, Complainant expresses her disagreement with the previous decision and presents some of the same arguments she raised on appeal.2 We emphasize that a request for reconsideration is not a second appeal to the Commission. See EEOC's Management Directive (MD)-110, Ch. 9, � VII.A (August 2015). Rather, a reconsideration request is an opportunity to demonstrate that the appellate decision involved a clearly erroneous interpretation of material fact or law, or will have a substantial impact on the policies, practices, or operations of the Agency. Complainant has not done so here.
After reviewing the previous decision and the entire record, the Commission finds that the request fails to meet the criteria of 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(c), and it is the decision of the Commission to deny the request. The decision in EEOC Appeal No. 0120140409 remains the Commission's decision. There is no further right of administrative appeal on the decision of the Commission on this request.
COMPLAINANT'S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (P0610)
This decision of the Commission is final, and there is no further right of administrative appeal from the Commission's decision. 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.
RIGHT TO REQUEST COUNSEL (Z0815)
If you want to file a civil action but cannot pay the fees, costs, or security to do so, you may request permission from the court to proceed with the civil action without paying these fees or costs. Similarly, if you cannot afford an attorney to represent you in the civil action, you may request the court to appoint an attorney for you. You must submit the requests for waiver of court costs or appointment of an attorney directly to the court, not the Commission. The court has the sole discretion to grant or deny these types of requests. Such requests do not alter the time limits for filing a civil action (please read the paragraph titled Complainant's Right to File a Civil Action for the specific time limits).
FOR THE COMMISSION:
______________________________ Carlton M. Hadden's signature
Carlton M. Hadden, Director
Office of Federal Operations
April 15, 2016
__________________
Date
1 This case has been randomly assigned a pseudonym which will replace Complainant's name when the decision is published to non-parties and the Commission's website.
2 As noted in the previous decision, subsequent acts of discrimination shall be processed as new claims of discrimination. Thus, any new claims such as those Complainant raised in her request for reconsideration should first be raised with an EEO counselor.
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