Virgil Means, Complainant,v.Mel R. Martinez, Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionOct 19, 2001
01A05173_r (E.E.O.C. Oct. 19, 2001)

01A05173_r

10-19-2001

Virgil Means, Complainant, v. Mel R. Martinez, Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Agency.


Virgil Means v. Department of Housing and Urban Development

01A05173

October 19, 2001

.

Virgil Means,

Complainant,

v.

Mel R. Martinez,

Secretary,

Department of Housing and Urban Development,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A05173

Agency No. CH-99-08

DECISION

Upon review, the Commission finds that complainant's complaint was

properly dismissed pursuant to 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(a)(2), on the grounds

that the complaint was not filed in a timely manner. Complainant

claimed that he was discriminated against on the bases of his sex

(male) and race (Black) when he was transferred from the Office of the

Secretary's Representative to the reception area. The record reveals that

complainant received a notice of right to file a discrimination complaint

on August 28, 1999. The notice specified that a formal complaint must

be filed within fifteen days of complainant's receipt of the notice.

The formal complaint that was filed was postmarked September 15, 1999.

Therefore, we find that the complaint was filed after the expiration of

the 15-day filing period. Accordingly, the agency's decision dismissing

complainant's complaint was proper and is AFFIRMED.<1>

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0701)

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), 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 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 (S0900)

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:

______________________________

Carlton M. Hadden, Director

Office of Federal Operations

October 19, 2001

__________________

Date

1In light of our affirmance of the agency decision on the grounds that

the formal complaint was filed in an untimely manner, we need not address

the agency's alternative grounds for dismissal.