[Redacted], Thersa E., 1 Complainant,v.Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Field Areas and Regions), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Jun 8, 2021

Appeal No. 2021002722 (E.E.O.C. Jun. 8, 2021)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION Office of Federal Operations P.O. Box 77960 Washington, DC 20013 Thersa E.,1 Complainant, v. Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Field Areas and Regions), Agency. Appeal No. 2021002722 Agency No. 4B-006-0004-21 DECISION Complainant filed a timely appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) from the Agency's final decision dated March 15, 2021, dismissing a formal 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. and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq. BACKGROUND During the period at issue, Complainant worked for the Agency as a Temporary City Carrier Assistant in Isabela, Puerto Rico. On February 23, 2021, Complainant filed a formal complaint alleging that the Agency subjected her to discrimination based on religion (Seventh Day Adventist), age, and in reprisal for prior protected EEO activity. On March 15, 2021, the Agency issued a final decision. The Agency dismissed the formal complaint on the grounds it was untimely filed. The Agency reasoned that the Notice of Right to File a Formal Complaint was delivered to Complainant’s address of record on January 27, 2021. 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. 2021002722 2 The Agency noted that Complainant’s formal complaint was filed by mail but did not contain a postmark. Thus, the Agency found that it should have received her formal complaint by February 16, 2021, but did not receive it until February 23, 2021. The instant appeal followed. On appeal, Complainant submits a statement addressing the merits of the formal complaint. In addition, she submits a letter from an official with her church indicating that her religion requires her not to work on Saturdays. However, Complainant does not address the Agency’s procedural dismissal that her formal complaint was untimely filed. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. § 1614.106(b) requires the filing of a written complaint with an appropriate agency official within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of the notice of the right to file a formal complaint. 29 C.F.R. § 1614.107(a)(2) provides that the agency shall dismiss a complaint that fails to comply with the applicable time limits contained in §§ 1614.105, 1614.106, and 1614.204(c), unless the agency extends the time limits in accordance with § 1614.604(c) The Agency properly dismissed the formal complaint on the grounds it was untimely filed. The record reflects that the Notice of Right to File a Formal Complaint (Notice) was received at Complainant’s address of record at the time on January 27, 2021. The Notice informed Complainant that she had 15 days from receipt of the Notice to file her formal complaint. Complainant filed her formal complaint by mail. The envelope containing her formal complaint does not contain a postmark date. EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. § 1614.604(b) provides, in pertinent part, that a document shall be deemed timely…in the absence of a legible postmark, if it is received by mail within five days of the expiration of the applicable filing period. Thus, the Agency should have received the formal complaint by February 16, 2021. However, the record reflects that the Agency received the formal complaint on February 23, 2021, outside of the applicable time limit. Complainant has not provided adequate justification for extending the applicable time period. We AFFIRM the Agency’s final decision dismissing the formal complaint for the reason discussed above. 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. 2021002722 3 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 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 (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. 2021002722 4 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 June 8, 2021 Date