Larry R. Welker, Complainant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Pacific/Western Region) Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionAug 8, 2000
01a02850 (E.E.O.C. Aug. 8, 2000)

01a02850

08-08-2000

Larry R. Welker, Complainant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Pacific/Western Region) Agency.


Larry R. Welker v. United States Postal Service

01A02850

August 8, 2000

Larry R. Welker, )

Complainant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01A02850

) Agency No. 1E991002599

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

(Pacific/Western Region) )

Agency. )

____________________________________)

DECISION

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

final decision (FAD) dated January 28, 2000, dismissing his complaints of

harassment and disciplinary action due to his age (d.o.b. 02/02/59) and

physical disability (chronic bronchitis and sinutis asthma), in violation

of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as amended,

42 U.S.C. � 621 et seq.,<1> as well as Section 501 of the Rehabilitation

Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended, 29 U.S.C. � 791 et seq.<2>

The agency issued a FAD dated January 28, 2000, dismissing the complaint

as untimely. Specifically, the agency indicated that complainant

received PS Form 2579-A, Notice of Right to File Individual Complaint,

on September 25, 1999. The agency cited the record which shows that

the complainant filed the formal EEO complaint with the agency on November

29, 1999. The formal complaint was filed past the expiration of the

15-day limit to file a formal EEO complaint.

The complainant had received his notice of right to file and had

contacted the EEO office for an extension within the fifteen (15) day

period required to file a formal complaint. Upon review, the Commission

finds that the complaint was improperly dismissed. The record shows that

the complainant was granted an extension of time by a specialist within

the EEO Compliance and Appeals division. Accordingly, the agency's

decision to dismiss complainant's complaint for untimely filing of a

formal complaint was improper, and is hereby VACATED. The complaint is

REMANDED to the agency for further processing in accordance with this

decision and the Order below.

ORDER (E0400)

The agency is ORDERED to process the remanded claims in accordance with

64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656-7 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.108). The agency shall acknowledge to

the complainant that it has received the remanded claims within thirty

(30) calendar days of the date this decision becomes final. The agency

shall issue to complainant a copy of the investigative file and also shall

notify complainant of the appropriate rights within one hundred fifty

(150) calendar days of the date this decision becomes final, unless the

matter is otherwise resolved prior to that time. If the complainant

requests a final decision without a hearing, the agency shall issue

a final decision within sixty (60) days of receipt of complainant's

request.

A copy of the agency's letter of acknowledgment to complainant and a

copy of the notice that transmits the investigative file and notice of

rights must be sent to the Compliance Officer as referenced below.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K1199)

Compliance with the Commission's corrective action is mandatory.

The agency shall submit its compliance report within thirty (30)

calendar days of the completion of all ordered corrective action. The

report shall be submitted to the Compliance Officer, Office of Federal

Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, P.O. Box 19848,

Washington, D.C. 20036. The agency's report must contain supporting

documentation, and the agency must send a copy of all submissions to the

complainant. If the agency does not comply with the Commission's order,

the complainant may petition the Commission for enforcement of the order.

29 C.F.R. � 1614.503(a). The complainant also has the right to file a

civil action to enforce compliance with the Commission's order prior

to or following an administrative petition for enforcement. See 64

Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659-60 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 29 C.F.R. �� 1614.407, 1614.408), and 29 C.F.R. �

1614.503(g). Alternatively, the complainant has the right to file a

civil action on the underlying complaint in accordance with the paragraph

below entitled "Right to File A Civil Action." 29 C.F.R. �� 1614.407

and 1614.408. A civil action for enforcement or a civil action on the

underlying complaint is subject to the deadline stated in 42 U.S.C. �

2000e-16(c)(Supp. V 1993). If the complainant files a civil action, the

administrative processing of the complaint, including any petition for

enforcement, will be terminated. See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999)

(to be codified and hereinafter referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.409).

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0300)

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

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); 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 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).

COMPLAINANTS' RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (T1199)

This decision affirms the agency's final decision/action in part, but it

also requires the agency to continue its administrative processing of a

portion of your complaint. 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 on both that portion

of your complaint which the Commission has affirmed AND that portion

of the complaint which has been remanded for continued administrative

processing. In the alternative, you may file a civil action AFTER

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY (180) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you filed your

complaint with the agency, or your appeal with the Commission, until

such time as the agency issues its final decision on your complaint.

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:

August 8, 2000

Date Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations

1The Commission notes that in the FAD submitted by the agency the ADEA

was incorrectly referred to as covering discrimination on the basis of

disability. The Commission construes the complaint as raising a claim

under the Rehabilitation Act, Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of

1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended, 29 U.S.C. � 791 et seq.

2On November 9, 1999, revised regulations governing 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.