Sonya Norris-Brown, Complainant,v.William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionFeb 15, 2000
01994207 (E.E.O.C. Feb. 15, 2000)

01994207

02-15-2000

Sonya Norris-Brown, Complainant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Sonya Norris-Brown, )

Complainant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01994207

) Agency No. 4-D-290-0015-99

William J. Henderson, )

Postmaster General, )

United States Postal Service, )

Agency. )

______________________________)

DECISION

Upon review, we find that the agency properly dismissed complainant's

complaint for the reasons set forth herein.<1> In the instant

complaint, complainant alleged that: (1) on October 25, 1998, while she

was reading her investigative file for her previous complaint, Agency

No. 1-D-297-0021-98, she became aware that an identified EEO Specialist

had violated her civil rights when she submitted a copy of a part of

complainant's affidavit to an identified Area Medical Officer and also

submitted a routing slip to the Area Medical Officer with a copy of

complainant's signature and a stamped date of May 18, 1998; and (2)

another identified Area Medical Officer released medical information

which resulted in management issuing complainant a Notice of Removal

dated September 11, 1998.

Claim (1) involved the identified EEO Specialist's improper handling

of complainant's affidavit during the previous complaint processing.

Although the agency dismissed this claim for stating the same claim that

was pending before the agency, we find that it is more properly dismissed

for alleging improper processing of a previously filed complaint,

pursuant to 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656 (1999) (to be codified and

hereinafter referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(8)).

Upon review, we find that claim (2) clearly involved the matter related

to complainant's September 11, 1998 removal, which was pending before the

agency in Agency No. 1-D-297-0021-98. Although complainant is alleging

a newly discovered action regarding the identified Area Medical Officer,

we find that this action constitutes supporting evidence regarding the

alleged discriminatory removal, and it does not constitute a separate,

new discriminatory action. Complainant is hereby advised to raise this

matter during the pendency of the previous complaint. Thus, claim (2)

was properly dismissed for stating the same claim which was pending before

the agency. See 64 Fed. Reg. 37,644, 37,656 (1999) (to be codified and

hereinafter referred to as 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1)). Accordingly,

the agency's final decision is hereby AFFIRMED.

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).

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:

February 15, 2000

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 of mailing. I certify that

the decision was mailed to complainant, complainant's representative

(if applicable), and the agency on:

_______________ __________________________

Date Equal Employment Assistant1On 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.