[Redacted], Lon R., 1 Complainant,v.John E. Whitley, Acting Secretary, Department of the Army, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Jun 3, 2021

Appeal No. 2021002018 (E.E.O.C. Jun. 3, 2021)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION Office of Federal Operations P.O. Box 77960 Washington, DC 20013 Lon R.,1 Complainant, v. John E. Whitley, Acting Secretary, Department of the Army, Agency. Appeal No. 2021002018 Agency No. ARCEROCK20NOV03345 DECISION Complainant filed a timely appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) from the Agency's decision dated January 19, 2021, dismissing his complaint alleging 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. BACKGROUND At the time of events giving rise to this complaint, Complainant worked as a Lock and Dam Equipment Repairer Supervisor, WY-5318-10, at the Agency’s Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District facility in Rock Island, Illinois. On December 18, 2020, Complainant filed a formal complaint alleging that the Agency subjected him to discrimination on the bases of race (African-American) and color (Black). The Agency requested Complainant provide further information concerning his claim and, upon receiving that information, framed his claims as the following: 1. On October 30, 2020, the Commander of the Rock Island District, the Supervisory Civil Engineer, and Equal Employment Manager (collectively referred to as “Rock Island District Leadership”) did not use the Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program Report and Plan properly. Rock Island District 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. 2021002018 2 Leadership has not conducted barrier analyses and is operating to disadvantage African-Americans as an underrepresented group, and the Complainant, due to race and color based on the policy set in 5 U.S. Code § 7201, Antidiscrimination Policy. Rock Island District Leadership has not been able to complete an effective barrier analysis regarding applicants for employment for the last three years (2017, 2018, and 2019) and has not included action plans or evaluated the effectiveness for each minority group designation and such recruitment programs in eliminating minority underrepresentation under section 717 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 2. Complainant was not allowed to apply for the Interdisciplinary, Operations Manager position (Series/Grade: GS-0401, 0801, 0808, 0810, 0819, 0830, 0850, and 1301-14) advertised on USAJobs. 3. Complainant was not allowed to apply for the Interdisciplinary, Operations Manager position, Chief, Illinois Waterway, Temporary Backfill (Series/Grade: GS-0401, 0801, 0808, 0810, 0819, 0830, 0850, and 1301-14) advertised via the Supervisory Civil Engineer’s e-mail dated October 16, 2020. 4. There are no developmental assignments or training to the Interdisciplinary, Operations Manager position (Series/Grade: GS-0404, 0801, 0819, 0830, 0850, and 1301-14) for African-American men to compete. 5. On or about September 3, 2020, per the Supervisory Civil Engineer’s email to the Rock Island District, the Deputy Chief, Operations Division position was filled by another employee. Complainant states this position was not announced to his knowledge. The Agency dismissed each of the claims, pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.107(a)(1), for failure to state a claim. The instant appeal followed. On appeal, Complainant argues that his complaint should not be dismissed, asserting that the Supervisory Civil Engineer has referred to Complainant as a habitual complainant and that the Agency’s counsel has failed to adhere to management directives. In response, the Agency argues that it properly dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS An agency shall accept a complaint from any aggrieved employee or applicant for employment who believes that he or she has been discriminated against by that agency because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disabling condition. 29 C.F.R. §§ 1614.103, .106(a). 2021002018 3 The Commission's federal sector case precedent has long defined an "aggrieved employee" as one who suffers a present harm or loss with respect to a term, condition, or privilege of employment for which there is a remedy. Diaz v. Department of the Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April 21, 1994). When the complainant does not allege he or she is aggrieved within the meaning of the regulations, the agency shall dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.107(a)(1). In the instant case, we find that Complainant’s allegations state claims of disparate treatment. The statements in claim (1) provide background information as to the allegations in claims (2) through (5). In claims (2), (3), and (5), Complainant alleges that management prevented him from applying for certain positions or filled them non-competitively and did not give him an opportunity to compete. In claim (4), he alleges that he was denied developmental assignments and/or training. Therefore, we find that Complainant has alleged injury or harm to terms, conditions, or privileges of employment for which there is a remedy. See Diaz v. Dep’t of the Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April 21, 1994). Accordingly, the Agency's final decision dismissing Complainant's complaint is REVERSED. The complaint is hereby remanded to the Agency for further processing in accordance with this decision and the Order below. ORDER (E0618) The Agency is ordered to process the remanded claims in accordance with 29 C.F.R. § 1614.108 et seq. The Agency shall acknowledge to the Complainant that it has received the remanded claims within thirty (30) calendar days of the date this decision was issued. The Agency shall issue to Complainant a copy of the investigative file and also shall notify Complainant of the appropriate rights within one hundred fifty (150) calendar days of the date this decision was issued, unless the matter is otherwise resolved prior to that time. If the Complainant requests a final decision without a hearing, the Agency shall issue a final decision within sixty (60) days of receipt of Complainant’s request. As provided in the statement entitled "Implementation of the Commission's Decision,” the Agency must send to the Compliance Officer: 1) a copy of the Agency’s letter of acknowledgment to Complainant, 2) a copy of the Agency’s notice that transmits the investigative file and notice of rights, and 3) either a copy of the complainant’s request for a hearing, a copy of complainant’s request for a FAD, or a statement from the agency that it did not receive a response from complainant by the end of the election period. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION’S DECISION (K0719) Under 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(c) and § 1614.502, compliance with the Commission’s corrective action is mandatory. Within seven (7) calendar days of the completion of each ordered corrective action, the Agency shall submit via the Federal Sector EEO Portal (FedSEP) supporting documents in the digital format required by the Commission, referencing the compliance docket number under which compliance was being monitored. 2021002018 4 Once all compliance is complete, the Agency shall submit via FedSEP a final compliance report in the digital format required by the Commission. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). The Agency’s final report must contain supporting documentation when previously not uploaded, and the Agency must send a copy of all submissions to the Complainant and his/her representative. If the Agency does not comply with the Commission’s order, the Complainant may petition the Commission for enforcement of the order. 29 C.F.R. § 1614.503(a). The Complainant also has the right to file a civil action to enforce compliance with the Commission’s order prior to or following an administrative petition for enforcement. See 29 C.F.R. §§ 1614.407, 1614.408, and 29 C.F.R. § 1614.503(g). Alternatively, the Complainant has the right to file a civil action on the underlying complaint in accordance with the paragraph below entitled “Right to File a Civil Action.” 29 C.F.R. §§ 1614.407 and 1614.408. A civil action for enforcement or a civil action on the underlying complaint is subject to the deadline stated in 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16(c) (1994 & Supp. IV 1999). If the Complainant files a civil action, the administrative processing of the complaint, including any petition for enforcement, will be terminated. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.409. Failure by an agency to either file a compliance report or implement any of the orders set forth in this decision, without good cause shown, may result in the referral of this matter to the Office of Special Counsel pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.503(f) for enforcement by that agency. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL RECONSIDERATION (M0920) The Commission may, in its discretion, reconsider this appellate decision if Complainant or the Agency submits a written request that contains arguments or evidence that 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 for reconsideration must be filed with EEOC’s Office of Federal Operations (OFO) within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of this decision. If the party requesting reconsideration elects to file a statement or brief in support of the request, that statement or brief must be filed together with the request for reconsideration. A party shall have twenty (20) calendar days from receipt of another party’s request for reconsideration within 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). Complainant should submit his or her request for reconsideration, and any statement or brief in support of his or her request, via the EEOC Public Portal, which can be found at https://publicportal.eeoc.gov/Portal/Login.aspx 2021002018 5 Alternatively, Complainant can submit his or her request and arguments to the Director, Office of Federal Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, via regular mail addressed to P.O. Box 77960, Washington, DC 20013, or by certified mail addressed to 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507. In the absence of a legible postmark, a complainant’s request to reconsider shall be deemed timely filed if OFO receives it by mail within five days of the expiration of the applicable filing period. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.604. An agency’s request for reconsideration must be submitted in digital format via the EEOC’s Federal Sector EEO Portal (FedSEP). See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). Either party’s request and/or statement or brief in opposition must also include proof of service on the other party, unless Complainant files his or her request via the EEOC Public Portal, in which case no proof of service is required. Failure to file within the 30-day time period will result in dismissal of the party’s request for reconsideration as untimely, unless extenuating circumstances prevented the timely filing of the request. Any supporting documentation must be submitted together with the 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 (R0610) This is a decision requiring the Agency to continue its administrative processing of your complaint. However, if you wish to file a civil action, you have the right to file such action in an appropriate United States District Court within ninety (90) calendar days from the date that you receive this decision. In the alternative, you may file a civil action after one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days of the date you filed your complaint with the Agency, or filed your appeal with the Commission. 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. 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. 2021002018 6 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 June 3, 2021 Date