Richard C. Friese, Complainant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionAug 18, 2000
01a01240 (E.E.O.C. Aug. 18, 2000)

01a01240

08-18-2000

Richard C. Friese, Complainant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Richard C. Friese v. United States Postal Service

01A01240

August 18, 2000

.

Richard C. Friese,

Complainant,

v.

William J. Henderson,

Postmaster General,

United States Postal Service,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A01240

Agency No. 1F-927-0044-99

DECISION

Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from a final

decision by the agency dated October 27, 1999, finding that it was in

compliance with the terms of the May 13, 1999 settlement agreement into

which the parties entered.<1> See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659, 37,660

(1999)(to be codified and hereinafter referred to as EEOC Regulation 29

C.F.R. � 1614.402); 29 C.F.R. � 1614.504(b); and 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644,

37,659 (1999)(to be codified at 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405).

The settlement agreement provided, in pertinent part, that:

(2) Management will investigate their options and try to write a new

job offer by [May 21, 1999] or table it until after [June 21, 1999].

Resolution by [June 30, 1999].

Job offer to state: (1) reasonable accommodation for on the job injury;

(2) primary job function as TTO (Tractor Trailer Operator) driving with

no loading or unloading; (3) computer input at center dock if and only

if eight hours of TTO unavailable.

By letter to the agency dated June 23, 1999, complainant alleged that

the agency was in breach of the settlement agreement, and requested

that the agency specifically implement the terms of the agreement.

Specifically, complainant alleged that the agency failed to make a job

offer in accordance with the terms that were agreed to in the settlement

agreement.

In its October 27, 1999 decision, the agency concluded that it

investigated its options and determined that a new job offer was

not necessary. The agency stated that the original job offer met the

medical requirements as accepted by the Department of Labor and satisfied

complainant's medical limitations.

Volume 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,660 (1999)(to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.504(a)) provides that any

settlement agreement knowingly and voluntarily agreed to by the parties,

reached at any stage of the complaint process, shall be binding on both

parties. The Commission has held that a settlement agreement constitutes

a contract between the employee and the agency, to which ordinary rules

of contract construction apply. See Herrington v. Department of Defense,

EEOC Request No. 05960032 (December 9, 1996). The Commission has further

held that it is the intent of the parties as expressed in the contract,

not some unexpressed intention, that controls the contract's construction.

Eggleston v. Department of Veterans Affairs, EEOC Request No. 05900795

(August 23, 1990). In ascertaining the intent of the parties with regard

to the terms of a settlement agreement, the Commission has generally

relied on the plain meaning rule. See Hyon v. United States Postal

Service, EEOC Request No. 05910787 (December 2, 1991). This rule states

that if the writing appears to be plain and unambiguous on its face,

its meaning must be determined from the four corners of the instrument

without resort to extrinsic evidence of any nature. See Montgomery

Elevator Co. v. Building Eng'g Servs. Co., 730 F.2d 377 (5th Cir. 1984).

A binding settlement agreement requires a contemporaneous meeting of

the minds. Brown v. Department of Defense, EEOC Request No. 05940628

(November 3, 1994). The Commission finds that there was no meeting

of the minds when the present settlement agreement was entered into

by the parties. The record indicates that the agency believed when it

entered into the settlement, that it would investigate and only write a

new job offer if the original one did not meet the medical requirements

as accepted by the Department of Labor. The record further indicates that

complainant believed, when he entered into the agreement, that the agency

would definitely write a new job offer by May 21, 1999. The Commission

finds that both parties entered into the settlement agreement, they

understood the phrase "[the agency] will investigate their options and

try to write a new job offer by [May 21, 1999]" to have significantly

different meanings. Because there was no meeting of the minds of the

parties when the agreement was entered into, we find that the May 13,

1999 settlement agreement is not a binding settlement and is void.

Accordingly, the agency's finding of no settlement breach is VACATED

and we REMAND the purportedly settled matter to the agency for further

processing in accordance with this decision and applicable regulations.

ORDER

Within thirty days of the date that this decision becomes final, the

agency shall reinstate the settled matter from the point processing

ceased and thereafter process the matter in accordance with the Part

1614 Regulations. Within thirty days of the date that this decision

becomes final, the agency shall notify complaint in writing that it has

reinstated the settled matter and will process the matter in accordance

with EEOC Regulations. A copy of the letter notifying complainant of

the reinstatement of his EEO matter must be submitted to the Compliance

Officer, as referenced herein.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K1199)

Compliance with the Commission's corrective action is mandatory.

The agency shall submit its compliance report within thirty (30)

calendar days of the completion of all ordered corrective action. The

report shall be submitted to the Compliance Officer, Office of Federal

Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, P.O. Box 19848,

Washington, D.C. 20036. The agency's report must contain supporting

documentation, and the agency must send a copy of all submissions to the

complainant. 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 64

Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659-60 (1999) (to be codified and hereinafter

referred to as 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)(Supp. V 1993). If the complainant files a civil action, the

administrative processing of the complaint, including any petition for

enforcement, will be terminated. See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999)

(to be codified and hereinafter referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.409).

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0300)

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); Equal Employment Opportunity Management

Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110), 9-18 (November 9, 1999).

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).

COMPLAINANTS' RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (R0400)

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 (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:

______________________________

Carlton M. Hadden, Director

Office of Federal Operations

August 18, 2000

__________________

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.