0120161505
06-23-2016
Tiffanie S,1 Complainant, v. Penny Pritzker, Secretary, Department of Commerce (Bureau of the Census), Agency.
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013
Tiffanie S,1
Complainant,
v.
Penny Pritzker,
Secretary,
Department of Commerce
(Bureau of the Census),
Agency.
Appeal No. 0120161505
Agency No. 51201600100
DECISION
Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from the Agency's decision dated March 17, 2016, dismissing her complaint of 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
At the time of events giving rise to this complaint, Complainant worked at the Department of Commerce (Commerce), Bureau of the Census, at the Agency's headquarters in Washington, DC.
On February 22, 2016, Complainant filed a formal complaint alleging that the Agency subjected her to discrimination on the bases of race (African-American), sex (female), age (45), and reprisal for prior protected EEO activity when:
1. On or about December 15, 2015, Complainant learned that the Chief Investigator (Chief Investigator) in the Commerce Office of Civil Rights (Commerce-OCR) had communicated with the Director, Program and Implementation, OCR about Complainant's prior EEO activity;
2. On or about January 12, 2016 and on-going, the Commerce Census Bureau EEO Office refused to assign an EEO counselor to Complainant; and
3. On or about February 3, 2016, the Director, Program and Implementation, OCR tried to prevent Complainant from pursuing EEO counseling.
On December 26, 2015, Complainant initiated EEO counseling with the Census Bureau EEO Office. On February 4, 2016, the Director, Commerce-OCR referred the case to Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity (OEEOD) for counseling due to a potential conflict of interest.
After OEEOD counseled Complainant she filed her complaint on February 22, 2016, with an amendment.
The Agency dismissed the instant complaint on various grounds, i.e., failure to state a claim, dissatisfaction with EEO process, stating the same claim, and for being moot.
ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
Issue 1 concerns the processing of a prior EEO complaint. Issues 2 and 3 concern the processing of the instant complaint. Complainant's complaint is properly dismissed because the Complainant is expressing dissatisfaction with the processing of a previously filed complaint as well as the instant complaint. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(8); Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 110 (EEO MD 110), at 3-9, Chapter 3, Section H (Spin-Off Complaints) (as Revised, Aug. 5, 2015). See also Trujillo v. Dep't of the Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05950177 (June 13, 1996).
Because the Commission is dismissing the complaint on the ground that Complainant is expressing dissatisfaction with the EEO process, it need not address the Agency's other reasons for dismissal.
CONCLUSION
Accordingly, the Agency's final decision dismissing Complainant's complaint is AFFIRMED.
STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION (M0416)
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 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). All requests and arguments must be submitted to the Director, Office of Federal Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The requests may be submitted via regular mail to P.O. Box 77960, Washington, DC 20013, or by certified mail to 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507. 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 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 (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.
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 23, 2016
__________________
Date
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.
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