Maurice Conner, Complainant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionMar 2, 2000
01985472 (E.E.O.C. Mar. 2, 2000)

01985472

03-02-2000

Maurice Conner, Complainant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Maurice Conner v. United States Postal Service

01985472

March 2, 2000

Maurice Conner, )

Complainant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01985472

) Agency No. 4-D-280-0038-98

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

Agency. )

______________________________)

DECISION

The Commission finds that the agency's June 5, 1998 decision dismissing

the complaint on the grounds of untimely complaint filing is proper

pursuant to the provisions of 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656 (1999) (to be

codified and hereinafter referred to as 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(a)(2).<1>

The record shows that Complainant received the notice of the right

to file an individual complaint by certified mail on March 24, 1998.

The notice advised Complainant that he had "the right to file a formal

complaint within 15 calendar days" of the date he received the notice.

The record further shows that the formal complaint was postmarked April

17, 1998.

The agency issued a final decision dismissing the complaint on the basis

of an untimely filed complaint. On appeal, Complainant acknowledges

his untimeliness but claims that it was the result of his March 23,

1998 surgery. When a complainant claims that a physical condition

prevents him from meeting a particular filing deadline, we have held

that in order to justify an untimely filing, the complainant must be

so incapacitated by the condition as to render him physically unable

to make a timely filing. See Zelmer v. USPS, EEOC Request No. 05890164

(March 8, 1989). The same is true regarding claims of incapacity related

to psychiatric or psychological conditions. See Crear v. USPS, EEOC

Request No. 05920700 (October 29, 1992).

On appeal, Complainant argues that he was admitted to a hospital on

March 23, 1998, and that he underwent surgery for a urological problem.

However, the record contains no documentation reflecting that he was so

incapacitated during the applicable fifteen-day period as to prevent her

from timely filing his complaint. Complainant has failed to present

adequate justification for extending the filing period. Accordingly,

the agency's decision to dismiss appellant's complaint as untimely was

proper and is AFFIRMED.

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:

March 2, 2000

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:

______________ _________________________________

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.