Linda L. Klamm, Complainant,v.Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionMar 13, 2000
01985741 (E.E.O.C. Mar. 13, 2000)

01985741

03-13-2000

Linda L. Klamm, Complainant, v. Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.


Linda L. Klamm v. Department of Veterans Affairs

01985741

March 13, 2000

Linda L. Klamm, )

Complainant, )

) Appeal Nos. 01985741

v. ) 01996981

) Agency Nos. 97-0793

Togo D. West, Jr., ) 96-2122

Secretary, )

Department of Veterans Affairs, )

Agency. )

)

DECISION

INTRODUCTION

Complainant timely appealed the agency's final decision on Complaint

No. 97-0793, concerning her complaint of unlawful employment

discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of

1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. � 2000e et seq.<1> She also appealed the

agency's final decision on Complaint No. 96-2122, concerning her claim

that the agency breached a settlement agreement. The Commission accepts

these appeals.

ISSUES PRESENTED

Whether the agency breached a settlement agreement between itself and

complainant, discriminated against complainant on the bases of gender

and prior EEO activity, and subjected complainant to discriminatory

harassment when, on May 10, 1996, complainant's second-line supervisor

(S2) informed her that her annual performance appraisal would be delayed,

pending a challenge by her previous supervisor regarding two adjudications

that she had prepared;

Whether S2 discriminated against complainant on the bases of her gender

and prior EEO complaints by not selecting her for a supervisory claims

examiner position on August 13, 1996; and

Whether the selectee for the supervisory claims examiner position, in his

capacity as complainant's new first-line supervisor (S1), discriminated

against complainant on the bases of her gender and prior EEO complaints

by assigning her training duties to another employee and removing her

from her position as the chairperson of a rating board on August 28, 1996.

BACKGROUND

The agency employed complainant as a GS-12 claims examiner in the

adjudication division of its regional office in San Diego, California.

In 1995 and 1996, she filed three EEO complaints including the two

referenced above. In Complaint No. 96-2122, filed on November 9, 1995,

she alleged that the agency discriminated against her on the basis

of gender in connection with her work assignments and the conditions

of her employment. In that complaint, she identified her previous

first-level supervisor, under whom she served from 1991 to November 1995.

On April 3, 1996, the parties entered into a settlement, pursuant to

which the agency agreed to remove complainant's prior supervisor from

overall administrative and interpretive review and control of all of

complainant's rating decisions, direct all requests for information

regarding performance-related reviews to her current supervisor, and

consider complainant for opportunities for increased responsibility and

authority upon her request.

On May 10, 1996, S2 advised complainant that her performance appraisal

for the 1995-96 rating period would be held up for central office review

because her previous first-line supervisor had found errors in two of

her decisions. S2 also indicated that a central office decision on this

matter would determine whether complainant would receive a performance

rating of outstanding or fully successful. In actuality, however, there

was no delay. Complainant received a performance rating of outstanding

on June 4, 1996.

On May 14, 1996, complainant wrote a letter to the agency's EEO office,

alleging that the agency breached the settlement agreement. The agency

issued a decision in November 1996, finding no breach. Complainant

appealed that decision, and in Klamm v. Department of Veterans Affairs,

EEOC Appeal No. 01971792 (March 22, 1999), the Commission remanded the

matter for a supplemental investigation. Pursuant to the Commission's

order, the agency produced a letter from S2 to the central office,

which indicated that complainant's previous supervisor reviewed the two

decisions in question in February 1996, two months before the settlement

agreement was signed. The agency also produced a copy of complainant's

1995-96 performance evaluation, dated June 4, 1996, in which she was

awarded a rating of outstanding. On the basis of this information,

the agency issued a second final decision on July 15, 1999, in which it

reaffirmed its earlier conclusion that there had been no breach.

The prior supervisor's position remained unfilled between November 1995

and August 1996. In July 1996, the agency issued a vacancy announcement

advertising the position. Four candidates, including complainant and

S1 applied. S2 and two other managers served on the selection panel,

and S2 served as the selecting official. The interview questions

were distributed to the applicants in advance of the interview. After

conducting the interviews and evaluating the candidates based on their

responses to the interview questions, the selection panel unanimously

recommended S1 for the job. On August 13, 1996, complainant was notified

that she had been considered for the position, but not selected. S1 was

now complainant's first-line supervisor.

On August 28, 1996, S1 issued a memorandum in which he set forth his plans

for reorganizing the rating board section. Prior to the reorganization,

complainant had served as the chairperson of a rating board, and had

also done extensive training. Pursuant to the reorganization, S1 had

removed complainant from her board chair, and had also reassigned her

training function to a hearing officer.

Complainant filed Complaint No. 97-0793 in November 1996, setting forth

the claims referenced above. The agency investigated the complaint

and notified complainant of her right to request a hearing before an

administrative judge. Complainant did not submit a hearing request, and

consequently, the agency issued its final decision of no discrimination.

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

At the outset, we note complainant's contention on appeal that the

investigator failed to fully investigate her complaint. Contrary to

complainant, we find that the record in both appeals is sufficient to

support a ruling. We will now address the merits of her claim.

S2's Remark Regarding Delay in Complainant's Performance Appraisal -

May 10, 1996

We first address complainant's breach-of-settlement allegation.

The April 1996 settlement agreement is a contract between complainant

and the agency, and it is the intent of the parties as expressed in

the contract, and not some unexpressed intention, that controls the

contract's construction. Eggleston v. Department of Veterans Affairs,

EEOC Request No. 05900795 (August 23, 1990). In interpreting settlement

agreements, the Commission has applied the contract principle known as

the "plain meaning rule" which holds that where a writing is unambiguous

on its face, its meaning is determined from the four corners of the

instrument without resort to extrinsic evidence. Klein v. Department

of Housing and Urban Development, EEOC Request No. 05940033 (June 30,

1994); Brown v. Department of Commerce, EEOC Request No. 05921059 (June

24, 1993). The operative term of the settlement agreement required that

complainant's previous supervisor not have any input into reviewing her

rating decisions. The two decisions that complainant's prior supervisor

challenged came up for quality review in February 1996, two months

before the settlement agreement went into effect. At the time, the prior

supervisor still had responsibility for conducting the quality review.

Complainant has not presented any evidence that her previous supervisor

performed any independent reviews of her work at any time after April 3,

1996, when the settlement agreement was signed. We therefore agree with

the agency that it did not breach the settlement agreement. We now

turn to complainant's contention that S2's conduct on May 10, 1996,

constituted discrimination.

To prevail in a disparate treatment claim such as this, complainant must

satisfy the three-part evidentiary scheme fashioned by the Supreme Court

in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973). She must

initially establish a prima facie case by demonstrating that she was

subjected to an adverse employment action under circumstances that

would support an inference of discrimination. Furnco Construction

Co. v. Waters, 438 U.S. 567, 576 (1978). The burden then shifts to

the agency to articulate a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for

its actions. Texas Department of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450

U.S. 248, 253 (1981). To ultimately prevail, complainant must prove,

by a preponderance of the evidence, that the agency's explanation

is pretextual. St. Mary's Honor Center v. Hicks, 509 U.S. 502, 519

(1993); Pavelka v. Department of the Navy, EEOC Request No. 05950351

(December 14, 1995).

Proof of a prima facie case will vary depending on the facts of

the particular case. McDonnell Douglas, 411 U.S. at 804 n.14.

Where employment terms are at issue, complainant may establish a prima

facie case by demonstrating that she belongs to a statutorily protected

class, and that she was treated differently than employees outside

of her protected group with respect to a term, condition, privilege,

or benefit of her employment. See Orr v. Tennessee Valley Authority,

EEOC Request No. 05930311 (March 11, 1994); Thompkins v. Morris Brown

College, 752 F.2d 558, 562 n.7 (11th Cir. 1985). Where reprisal is at

issue, complainant may establish a prima facie case by showing that she

engaged in protected EEO activity, that individuals named in complaint

knew of that activity, and that she was subjected to an adverse action

at such a time or in such a manner as to support a causal connection

between the two events. Frye v. Department of Labor, EEOC Request

No. 05940764 (December 15, 1994); Hochstadt v. Worcester Foundation for

Experimental Biology, 425 F. Supp. 318 (D. Mass), aff'd, 545 F.2d 222

(1st Cir. 1976). Both types of prima facie case require complainant to

show that she suffered a loss or harm in connection with any aspect of her

employment. She has not met this minimal burden. S2 was merely putting

complainant on notice that there might be a problem in getting her 1995-96

performance evaluation issued on time, because of the quality review.

Exhibit (Ex.) B6c Complainant nevertheless received a performance rating

of outstanding, and she received it in a timely manner. We therefore

find that complainant failed to establish a prima facie case of sex

discrimination or reprisal in connection with S2's notice regarding a

delay in her 1995-96 performance appraisal.

Complainant further contends that S2 told her about a delay in her

appraisal in order to harass her. Unless the conduct complained of is

severe, however, a single incident or group of isolated incidents will not

be regarded as discriminatory harassment. Backo v. United States Postal

Service, EEOC Request No. 05960227 (June 10, 1996); Frye v. Department

of Labor, EEOC Request No. 05950152 (February 8, 1996); Walker v. Ford

Motor Co., 684 F.2d 1355, 1358 (11th Cir. 1982). The remark at issue

is not a racial slur, nor can it be perceived by a reasonable person

as being derogatory toward individuals belonging to particular groups.

Accordingly, we find that S2's remark concerning a delay in complainant's

performance appraisal does not constitute harassment.

S2's Failure to Promote Complainant - August 13, 1996

Where promotion is at issue, complainant may establish a prima facie case

of discrimination with a showing that she is a member of a protected

group, that she applied for a position for which she was qualified,

that she was not selected, and that the selectee was outside of her

protected group. Silva v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Request

No. 05931164 (May 12, 1994); Keyes v. Secretary of the Navy, 853 F.2d

1016, 1023 (1st Cir. 1988). Complainant applied for a supervisory

claims examiner position, but S2, the selecting official, chose S1,

a male applicant. This is sufficient to establish a prima facie case.

S2 stated that, while complainant was well-qualified for the position,

the selectee was the better candidate. We find that S2's stated reason

for choosing S1 is legitimate, nondiscriminatory, and fully supported

by the record. It is against this backdrop that complainant must now

show that this reason is a pretext for sex discrimination and reprisal.

The agency generally has broad discretion to set policies and carry out

personnel decisions, and should not be second-guessed by the reviewing

authority absent evidence of unlawful motivation. Vanek v. Department

of the Treasury, EEOC Request No. 05940906 (January 16, 1997); Kohlmeyer

v. Department of the Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05960038 (August 8,

1996); Burdine, 450 U.S. at 259. On appeal, complainant contends

that the selection decision was so flawed as to plainly reflect a

discriminatory or retaliatory animus on the part of S2. The evidence

of record does not support this contention, however. That evidence

establishes that S1 had a law degree, whereas complainant did not.

The record also shows that S1's individual productivity as a journeyman

claims examiner exceeded complainant's by a substantial margin. The

affidavits of the other rating panel members appear to corroborate S2's

assessment, in that the entire panel unanimously recommended S1. Exs.

B6-B8. Although complainant has shown that she was highly qualified for

the position, she has not shown that her qualifications were so plainly

superior to S1's as to compel a finding of pretext. Wasser v. Department

of Labor, EEOC Request No. 05940058 (November 2, 1995); Bauer v. Bailar,

647 F.2d 1037, 1048 (10th Cir. 1981).

S1's Reorganization of the Rating Board Section - August 28, 1996

S1, as complainant's first-line supervisor, stated that, pursuant to

a reorganization, the training function was transferred to the hearing

officer, which was the highest decision-making authority in the regional

office. The move was designed to establish consistency in training.

Since the agency has established legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons

for its conduct, we can proceed to the pretext inquiry. United States

Postal Service Board of Governors v. Aikens, 460 U.S. 711, 713-17 (1983);

Holley v. Department of Veterans Affairs, EEOC Request No. 05950842

(November 13, 1997). S1 stated that the regional office was reorganized

to improve quality and productivity, and to insure adherence to a liberal

rating policy. He stated that having the hearing officer provide the

training, as opposed to lower-level claims examiners, would ensure a

much higher level of consistency in rating decisions, given the hearing

officer's higher position in the regional office hierarchy. Ex. B9b.

Complainant has not presented evidence that contradicts the testimony

of S1. Consequently, she has not established that the agency's

stated reason for reassigning her training duties was a pretext for

discrimination or reprisal.

Regarding S1's decision to rotate complainant out of her board chair,

complainant clearly established a prima facie case, since S1 appointed

a male claims examiner with less experience to serve as a board chair.

S1 stated that he had personally trained the chair appointee, and that the

appointee had already mentored the three people who would be serving on

that particular board. S1 also stated, again without contradiction, that

complainant had been spending too much time on special projects, training,

and administrative duties rather than claims adjudication. He reiterated

that complainant's removal from the rating board chair was not a matter of

discipline or poor performance on complainant's part. Rather, it was done

in order to maximize the productivity of the unit that he supervised.

Ex. B9b. Although complainant contends on appeal, that the decision

was motivated by discrimination and reprisal, she has not presented any

evidence from which to infer that S1's explanation was pretextual.

CONCLUSION

After a careful review of the record, including complainant's contentions

on appeal and arguments and evidence not specifically addressed in this

decision, we affirm the agency's final decision because the preponderance

of the evidence does not establish that discrimination occurred.

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:

03-13-00

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 after it was mailed. I certify

that this decision was mailed to complainant, complainant's representative

(if applicable), and the agency on:

_____________

Date ________________________

1 On 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.