Melina K.,1 Complainant,v.Nancy A. Berryhill, Acting Commissioner, Social Security Administration, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Oct 3, 2018

0120172273 (E.E.O.C. Oct. 3, 2018)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013

Melina K.,1
Complainant,

v.

Nancy A. Berryhill,
Acting Commissioner,
Social Security Administration,
Agency.

Appeal No. 0120172273

Hearing No. 530-2016-00228X

Agency No. OCO-15-0326-SSA

DISMISSAL OF APPEAL

By Notice of Appeal postmarked June 15, 2017, Complainant filed an appeal with the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) from the May 5, 2017 final
agency decision concerning her EEO complaint of unlawful employment discrimination in
violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
et seq., Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended, 29
U.S.C. § 791 et seq., and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as
amended, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq. For the following reasons, the Commission DISMISSES
Complainant’s appeal.

On May 18, 2015, Complainant filed an EEO complaint alleging that the Agency discriminated
against her and subjected her to harassment. The Agency defined Complainant’s complaint as
alleging:

1. Complainant alleged the Agency subjected her to discrimination based on
disability when since December 2014, she did not receive reasonable
accommodation to work half-time telephone, half-time mail, and to come in late
when necessary.

1 This case has been randomly assigned a pseudonym which will replace Complainant’s name
when the decision is published to non-parties and the Commission’s website.
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2. Complainant alleged that the Agency subjected her to harassment based on age,
sex, and disability in terms of her working conditions, lowered performance
evaluations, and a week-long suspension, between February 2009 and May 2015.
3. Complainant alleged that the Agency subjected her to sexual harassment based on
age, sex, and disability when, in July 2013, the Agency insufficiently investigated
her complaint of sexual harassment by a fellow coworker.

The Agency issued a final decision on May 5, 2017. The record establishes that the Agency’s
final decision was sent to Complainant’s address of record by UPS Ground shipping. A copy of
the tracking information from UPS shows that the Agency’s final decision was received at
Complainant’s address of record on May 11, 2017. A review of the final decision reveals that
the Agency properly advised Complainant that she had 30 calendar days after receipt of its final
order to file her appeal with the Commission. Complainant has not offered adequate justification
for an extension of the applicable time limit for filing her appeal.

Accordingly, Complainant's June 15, 2017 appeal is untimely and is DISMISSED. See 29
C.F.R. § 1614.403(c).

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION (M0617)
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. A party
shall have twenty (20) calendar days of receipt of another party’s timely request for
reconsideration in which to submit a brief or statement in opposition. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405;
Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110),
at Chap. 9 § VII.B (Aug. 5, 2015). All requests and arguments must be submitted to the
Director, Office of Federal Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Complainant’s request may be submitted via regular mail to P.O. Box 77960, Washington, DC
20013, or by certified mail to 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507. 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 29 C.F.R. § 1614.604. The
agency’s request must be submitted in digital format via the EEOC’s Federal Sector EEO Portal
(FedSEP). See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). The request or opposition must also include proof of
service on the other party.
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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 (S0610)
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 (Z0815)
If you want to file a civil action but cannot pay the fees, costs, or security to do so, you may
request permission from the court to proceed with the civil action without paying these fees or
costs. Similarly, if you cannot afford an attorney to represent you in the civil action, you may
request the court to appoint an attorney for you. You must submit the requests for waiver of
court costs or appointment of an attorney directly to the court, not the Commission. The
court has the sole discretion to grant or deny these types of requests. Such requests do not alter
the time limits for filing a civil action (please read the paragraph titled Complainant’s Right to
File a Civil Action for the specific time limits).
FOR THE COMMISSION:

______________________________ Carlton M. Hadden’s signature
Carlton M. Hadden, Director
Office of Federal Operations

October 3, 2018
Date