Michelle Benedict, Appellant,v.William S. Cohen, Secretary, Department of Defense, (Defense Commissary Agency), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionOct 29, 1999
01985566 (E.E.O.C. Oct. 29, 1999)

01985566

10-29-1999

Michelle Benedict, Appellant, v. William S. Cohen, Secretary, Department of Defense, (Defense Commissary Agency), Agency.


Michelle Benedict v. Department of Defense

01985566

October 29, 1999

Michelle Benedict, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01985566

) Agency No. 98-DCW-18G-018

William S. Cohen, )

Secretary, )

Department of Defense, )

(Defense Commissary Agency), )

Agency. )

___________________________________)

DECISION

The Commission finds that the agency's decision dated April 23, 1998

(reissued with appeal rights on June 3, 1998) dismissing a portion

of appellant's complaint for untimely EEO Counselor contact is proper

pursuant to 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(b).

The agency accepted for investigation appellant's allegation that

she was not selected for the position of Assistant Grocery manager in

December 1997. The agency dismissed appellant's allegations that she

was not selected in December 1996 for the position of assistant Grocery

manager (allegation 2) and that her collateral duties (e.g., writing

performance plans, being the key custodian, and handling the property

books) were taken away (allegation 3), on the grounds that appellant

failed to timely contact an EEO Counselor. Appellant has not challenged

the framing of the complaint.

The Informal Counseling Report shows that appellant initially contacted

an EEO Counselor on January 12, 1998. Appellant has not claimed that

any incident in allegations 2 and 3 occurred 45 days or less prior to her

initial EEO Counselor contact. Although appellant asserts that she did

not suspect discrimination until December 1997, the Commission finds that

appellant has not explained why she began to suspect discrimination in

December 1997. Furthermore, the Commission finds that appellant should

have reasonably suspected discrimination at the time of the incidents

in allegations 2 and 3.

The agency's decision dismissing a portion of the complaint is AFFIRMED.

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. �l6l4.604(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. 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 (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:

10/29/1999

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations