Matthew Mataele, Appellant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionOct 6, 1999
01995697 (E.E.O.C. Oct. 6, 1999)

01995697

10-06-1999

Matthew Mataele, Appellant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Matthew Mataele v. United States Postal Service

01995697

October 6, 1999

Matthew Mataele, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01995697

) Agency No. 1-E-841-0004-99

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

Agency. )

______________________________)

DISMISSAL OF APPEAL

On July 6, 1999, appellant filed an appeal with this Commission from

an arbitrator's decision, dated June 23, 1999. The Commission has

jurisdiction over appeals from an arbitrator's final decision when an

issue of employment discrimination was raised in a negotiated grievance

process that allows allegations of discrimination to be raised, but

that requires the complainant to proceed under either the grievance

or statutory EEO process, but not both. See 29 C.F.R. �1614.401(c).

The collective bargaining agreement between appellant's union and the

agency, however, does not require complainants to elect a forum; it allows

complainants to raise discrimination allegations in both the EEO and

negotiated grievance processes. EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. �1614.401(c)

states, in part, that a grievant may not file an appeal of an arbitrator's

decision to the Commission, if 5 U.S.C. �7121(d) does not apply to the

agency involved in the grievance. Therefore, the Commission lacks

jurisdiction over the arbitrator's decision in the present appeal.

Further, there is no evidence that the agency has issued an EEO final

agency decision from which appellant could appeal to the Commission.

Accordingly, appellant's appeal is hereby DISMISSED for lack of

jurisdiction.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0795)

The Commission may, in its discretion, reconsider the decision in this

case if the appellant or the agency submits a written request containing

arguments or evidence which tend to establish that:

1. New and material evidence is available that was not readily available

when the previous decision was issued; or

2. The previous decision involved an erroneous interpretation of law,

regulation or material fact, or misapplication of established policy; or

3. The decision is of such exceptional nature as to have substantial

precedential implications.

Requests to reconsider, with supporting arguments or evidence, MUST

BE FILED WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive this

decision, or WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive

a timely request to reconsider filed by another party. Any argument in

opposition to the request to reconsider or cross request to reconsider

MUST be submitted to the Commission and to the requesting party

WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive the request

to reconsider. See 29 C.F.R. �1614.407. All requests and arguments

must bear proof of postmark and 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 filed on the date it is received

by the Commission.

Failure to file within the time period will result in dismissal of your

request for reconsideration as untimely. If extenuating circumstances

have prevented the timely filing of a request for reconsideration,

a written statement setting forth the circumstances which caused the

delay and 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).

RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S0993)

It is the position of the Commission that 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.

You should be aware, however, that courts in some jurisdictions have

interpreted the Civil Rights Act of 1991 in a manner suggesting that

a civil action must be filed WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS from the

date that you receive this decision. To ensure that your civil action

is considered timely, you are advised to file it WITHIN THIRTY (30)

CALENDAR DAYS from the date that you receive this decision or to consult

an attorney concerning the applicable time period in the jurisdiction

in which your action would be filed. 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 (Z1092)

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:

October 6, 1999

__________________________________

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations