01a01536
02-24-2000
Nancy N. Wright, Complainant, v. Lawrence H. Summers, Secretary, Department of the Treasury, Agency.
Nancy N. Wright, )
Complainant, )
)
v. ) Appeal No. 01A01536
) Agency No. 99-3268
Lawrence H. Summers, )
Secretary, )
Department of the Treasury, )
Agency. )
)
DECISION
Upon review, we find that the complaint was properly dismissed pursuant
to 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter
cited as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2)), on the grounds that complainant
failed to contact an EEO Counselor in a timely manner.<1> The record
reveals that on March 1, 1999, complainant received a rating of �Fully
Successful� on her performance evaluation with regard to the critical
element of job interaction. Complainant initially contacted an EEO
Counselor on March 2, 1999, but the EEO Counselor advised her to contact a
different EEO Counselor because she was unable to handle another complaint
at that time. Complainant did not subsequently contact an EEO Counselor
to pursue her complaint until May 26, 1999. Complainant claims that
she contacted another EEO Counselor on March 3, 1999, but she has not
submitted evidence to support that position, and the record does not
support this claim. Complainant also states that her contact of another
EEO Counselor was delayed for several reasons. Complainant explained that
she was taking care of her mother after she broke her hip and that she
also had a Hawaiian vacation during the relevant period. The Commission
has consistently held that complainants must act with due diligence in the
pursuit of their claims or the doctrine of laches may be applied. O'Dell
v. Department of Health and Human Services, EEOC Request No. 05901130
(December 27, 1990). See Baldwin County Welcome Center v. Brown, 466
U.S. 147, 151 (1984) (per curiam) (�One who fails to act diligently cannot
invoke equitable principles to excuse lack of diligence�); Rys v. United
States Postal Service, 886 F. 2d 443, 446 (1st Cir. 1989) (�to find succor
in equity a Title VII plaintiff must have diligently pursued her claim�).
Complainant failed to submit adequate justification for an extension of
the 45-day limitation period. Accordingly, the final agency decision
dismissing the complaint is hereby AFFIRMED.<2>
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:
February 24, 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 of mailing. I certify that
the decision was mailed to complainant, complainant's representative,
and the agency on:
DATE 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.
2In light of our affirmance of the final decision on this grounds,
we need not address the agency's alternative grounds for dismissal.