Manda Cullen, Complainant,v.Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionMay 19, 2000
01a01608 (E.E.O.C. May. 19, 2000)

01a01608

05-19-2000

Manda Cullen, Complainant, v. Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.


Manda Cullen, )

Complainant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01A01608

) Agency No. 200K-0785-995470

Togo D. West, Jr., )

Secretary, )

Department of Veterans Affairs, )

Agency. )

____________________________________)

DECISION

On December 13, 1999, complainant filed a timely appeal with this

Commission from a final agency decision (FAD) dismissing 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>

We accept the appeal pursuant to 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999)

(to be codified at 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405).

After unsuccessful EEO counseling, complainant, an employee at an agency

canteen, filed a formal complaint on November 10, 1999, claiming that

she was subjected to harassment based on reprisal when her supervisor (S)

went to the home of her grandmother and threatened that complainant would

be fired if she testified as a witness in an EEO proceeding involving a

co-worker. The FAD dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim,

finding that this matter concerned only S and complainant's grandmother,

and did not affect a term or condition of complainant's employment.

On appeal, complainant argues that S �has made my life very miserable�

and placed her under frequent pressure on the job to dissuade her from

testifying as a witness in a co-worker's EEO case, including the extreme

measure of visiting her grandmother and threatening that she would fire

complainant if the grandmother could not dissuade her from testifying.

In response, the agency argues that the claim is untrue, and even if

true, does not state an actionable claim, and that a single incident

such as this does not constitute harassment.

Upon review, the Commission finds that the agency's dismissal

was improper. The record reveals that complainant's claim is that S

pressured her not to testify as an EEO witness, and that this pressure

including contacting her grandmother as described above. We find S's

conduct could have had a chilling effect on complainant's participation

in the EEO process. Accordingly, such a complaint states a claim

of interference in the EEO process. See George v. USPS, EEOC Request

No. 05980451(October 8, 1998); Torrez v. Social Security Administration,

EEOC 05950947 (March 10, 1998); Harvey v. USPS, Appeal No. 01992465

(December 1, 1999). Moreover, the Commission has specifically held that

a supervisory attempt to dissuade an individual from acting as a witness

in an EEO matter has a chilling effect on the use of the EEO process, and

as such, states a claim of interference with the EEO process. See Marr

v.Department of the Air Force, EEOC Appeal No. 01941344 (June 27, 1996).

In this case, we find S's intimidation of complainant's grandmother, in

her own home, even more egregious than if she had directly threatened to

fire complainant for her planned EEO participation, and acts to intensify

the �chilling effect� of such conduct.

We also find that complainant has set forth an actionable claim

of harassment because she claims that S engaged in conduct in the

workplace (including, but not limited to, extra assignments and forcing

her to taste food that had been improperly prepared in the canteen),

in addition to the highly disturbing visit to her grandmother's home,

with the purpose of intimidating her, thereby creating a hostile work

environment which interfered with her ability to perform her assignments.

See Cobb v. Department of the Treasury, EEOC Request No. 05970077 (March

13, 1997).

Accordingly, the agency's final decision is REVERSED and the complaint

is REMANDED to the agency for further processing.

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

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); 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 (R0400)

This is a decision requiring the agency to continue its administrative

processing of your complaint. However, if you wish to file a civil

action, you have the right to file such action in an appropriate United

States District Court WITHIN NINETY (90) CALENDAR DAYS from the date

that you receive this decision. 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 filed your appeal with the

Commission. 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. 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:

May 19, 2000

Date Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations

1On 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.