Rupert F. Arino, Complainant,v.Kenneth S. Apfel, Commissioner, Social Security Administration, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionMar 6, 2000
01993588 (E.E.O.C. Mar. 6, 2000)

01993588

03-06-2000

Rupert F. Arino, Complainant, v. Kenneth S. Apfel, Commissioner, Social Security Administration, Agency.


Rupert F. Arino, )

Complainant, )

) Appeal No. 01993588

v. ) Agency No. SSA-0848-94

) Hearing No. 350-98-8013X

Kenneth S. Apfel, )

Commissioner, )

Social Security Administration, )

Agency. )

)

DECISION

Pursuant to 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,659 (1999) (to be codified at 29

C.F.R. � 1614.405), the Commission accepts the complainant's appeal

from the agency's final decision in the above-entitled matter.<1>

After a review of the record in its entirety, including consideration

of all statements submitted on appeal, it is the decision of the Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission to AFFIRM the final agency decision

because the Administrative Judge's ultimate finding, that unlawful

employment discrimination was not proven by a preponderance of the

evidence, is supported by the record.

By letter to the Commission postmarked October 25, 1999, complainant

sought to amend the instant complaint to add a claim of retaliation based

on his alleged non-selection, during the pendency of his appeal, for the

position of Management Support Specialist (vacancy announcement number

SSA-99-302) in the agency's Tucson District Office. While a complainant

may amend his complaint at any time to add another statutory basis for

an alleged discriminatory occurrence without changing the identity of his

claim, Dragos v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Request No. 05940563

(January 19, 1995), we note that here complainant is instead raising

an additional claim on appeal concerning a new occurrence. This issue

is not before the Commission at this time, inasmuch as complainant has

neither sought EEO counseling nor filed a formal complaint in regard

to it. It is not clear from complainant's letter whether or not he

is in the process of filing an EEO complaint on this issue. If not,

complainant is advised that if he wishes to pursue, through the EEO

process, the additional claim raised for the first time on appeal,

he shall initiate contact with an EEO counselor within 15 (fifteen)

calendar days after he receives this decision. The Commission advises

the agency that if complainant seeks EEO counseling regarding the new

allegation within the above 15-day period, the date complainant filed

his letter with the Commission in which he raised this claim (October 25,

1999) shall be deemed to be the date of the initial EEO contact, unless

he previously contacted a counselor regarding this matter, in which case

the earlier date would serve as the EEO counselor contact date. Cf. Qatsha

v. Department of the Navy, EEOC Request No. 05970201 (January 16, 1998).

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:

3/6/00

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 after it was mailed. I certify

that this decision was mailed to complainant, complainant's representative

(if applicable), and the agency on:

Equal Employment Assistant 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.