Larry A. Golie, Complainant,v.John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJul 26, 2001
01995918_r (E.E.O.C. Jul. 26, 2001)

01995918_r

07-26-2001

Larry A. Golie, Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Larry A. Golie v. United States Postal Service

01995918

July 26, 2001

.

Larry A. Golie,

Complainant,

v.

John E. Potter,

Postmaster General,

United States Postal Service,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01995918

Agency No. 4E-590-0052-99

DECISION

Upon review, the Commission finds that the agency properly dismissed

complainant's complaint for failure to state a claim, pursuant to 29

C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1). In his complaint complainant claimed that

he was discriminated against on the of basis of retaliation for prior

EEO activity when on April 26, 1999, complainant's grievance regarding

controversion of his workers' compensation claims was denied at Step 3

of the grievance process. Complainant claimed that the Labor Relations

Specialist had a conflict of interest, and her failure to remove herself

from the grievance process caused complainant's grievance to be denied.

Complainant's claim regarding the denial of his grievance on April 26,

1999, constitutes a collateral attack on another forum's proceeding.

See Wills v. Department of Defense , EEOC Request No. 05970596 (July

30, 1998); Kleinman v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Request No.

05940585 (September 22, 1994); Lingad v. United States Postal Service,

EEOC Request No. 05930106 (June 25, 1993). The proper forum for

complainant to have raised his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the

grievance process was within the negotiated grievance process itself.

The claim is a collateral attack on the outcome of another administrative

dispute resolution process; therefore, it fails to state a claim.

See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1).

The agency's final decision dismissing complainant's complaint is

AFFIRMED.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0701)

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 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 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 (S0900)

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:

______________________________

Carlton M. Hadden, Director

Office of Federal Operations

July 26, 2001

__________________

Date