Roger B. Pfuntner, Appellant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (S.E./S.W.) ______________________________)

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionNov 8, 1999
01994196 (E.E.O.C. Nov. 8, 1999)

01994196

11-08-1999

Roger B. Pfuntner, Appellant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (S.E./S.W.) ______________________________)


Roger B. Pfuntner v. United States Postal Service

01994196

November 8, 1999

Roger B. Pfuntner, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01994196

) Agency No. 4-G-780-0361-98

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

(S.E./S.W.) Agency. )

______________________________)

DECISION

On April 22, 1999, appellant filed a timely appeal with this Commission

from a final agency decision (FAD) received on March 30, 1999, pertaining

to a complaint of unlawful employment discrimination pursuant to Title VII

of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. �2000e et seq.

The Commission accepts appellant's appeal in accordance with EEOC

No. 960.001.

The record reflects that on July 7, 1998, appellant initiated contact

with an EEO Counselor. During the counseling period, appellant alleges

that he is continuously being harassed by management.

Counseling failed, and on or about February 24, 1999 appellant filed a

formal complaint, alleging that he was the victim of unlawful employment

discrimination on the basis of his race (white), disability (physical)

and retaliation (prior EEO activity). Therein, appellant alleged

that he is being continuously discriminated against by his supervisor.

In support of this, appellant submitted a six page statement alleging

the discriminatory incidents. The allegations in the statement addressed

how management allowed employees other than appellant to work on private

matters during work hours; management allows employees to pilfer office

supplies;

management allows employees to yell at and harass appellant; management

assigns appellant bogus assignments and that these activities breach

the settlement agreement entered into by the agency and appellant on

November 5, 1998.

The agency on March 23, 1999 issued a final decision dismissing

appellant's complaint pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a) for stating

the same claim that is pending before or has been decided by the agency

or Commission. The agency found that the allegations in the instant

complaint are identical to those raised in case number 4-G-780-0015-98

alleging breach of the settlement agreement that is currently before

the agency.

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(a) provides that the agency shall

dismiss a complaint or a portion of a complaint that states the same claim

that is pending before or has been decided by the agency or Commission.

The record reflects that the instant complaint states the same claims

that were previously raised in complaint 4-G-780-0015-98. Accordingly,

the agency's decision to dismiss appellant's complaint for stating the

same claim that is pending before or has been decided by the agency or

Commission was proper and is AFFIRMED.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0795)

The Commission may, in its discretion, reconsider the decision in this

case if the appellant or the agency submits a written request containing

arguments or evidence which tend to establish that:

1. New and material evidence is available that was not readily available

when the previous decision was issued; or

2. The previous decision involved an erroneous interpretation of law,

regulation or material fact, or misapplication of established policy; or

3. The decision is of such exceptional nature as to have substantial

precedential implications.

Requests to reconsider, with supporting arguments or evidence, MUST

BE FILED WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive this

decision, or WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive

a timely request to reconsider filed by another party. Any argument in

opposition to the request to reconsider or cross request to reconsider

MUST be submitted to the Commission and to the requesting party

WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive the request

to reconsider. See 29 C.F.R. �1614.407. All requests and arguments

must bear proof of postmark and 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 filed on the date it is received

by the Commission.

Failure to file within the time period will result in dismissal of your

request for reconsideration as untimely. If extenuating circumstances

have prevented the timely filing of a request for reconsideration,

a written statement setting forth the circumstances which caused the

delay and 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).

RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S0993)

It is the position of the Commission that 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. You

should be aware, however, that courts in some jurisdictions have

interpreted the Civil Rights Act of 1991 in a manner suggesting that a

civil action must be filed WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS from the date

that you receive this decision. To ensure that your civil action is

considered timely, you are advised to file it WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR

DAYS from the date that you receive this decision or to consult an

attorney concerning the applicable time period in the jurisdiction in

which your action would be filed. 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 (Z1092)

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:

November 8, 1999

____________________________

DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director

Office of Federal Operations