Nancy Wilkins, Complainant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionFeb 2, 2000
01995417 (E.E.O.C. Feb. 2, 2000)

01995417

02-02-2000

Nancy Wilkins, Complainant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Nancy Wilkins, )

Complainant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01995417

) Agency No. 1F-927-0063-98

)

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

Agency. )

___________________________________ )

DISMISSAL OF APPEAL

Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission from a final decision

of the agency concerning her complaint of unlawful employment

discrimination. The appeal was received June 28, 1999.<1>

By regulation, appeals to the Commission must be filed within thirty

(30) calendar days after an complainant receives notice of the final

agency decision.

In this case, the record reflects that complainant received the final

agency decision on May 19, 1999. Complainant's appeal on June 28,

1999, was, therefore, beyond the thirty (30) day time limit set by the

Regulations. Complainant filed her appeal on June 28, 1999; however,

since it was received by mail without a legible postmark, it was due

no later than Wednesday, June 23, 1999.<2> The record reveals that

the final agency decision explicitly informed complainant of the time

limits on her right to appeal. The Commission's regulations governing

the computation of the time limits allow for waiver and/or equitable

tolling. 29 C.F.R. �1614.604(c). On appeal, however, complainant

failed to submit justification to invoke waiver or equitable tolling.

Accordingly, the appeal is untimely and is DISMISSED.

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 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 of mailing. I certify that

the decision was mailed to complainant, complainant's representative

(if applicable), and the agency on:

_______________ __________________________

Date Equal Employment Assistant 1 The envelope used to file the

appeal, bore an illegible postmark; therefore, the date the appeal was

received is considered as the filing date. 29 C.F.R. �1614.604(b).

2 An [appeal] shall be deemed timely if it is... postmarked before

the expiration of the applicable filing period, or, in the absence of

a legible postmark, if it is received by mail within five days of the

expiration of the applicable filing period. 29 C.F.R. �1614.604(b).