Wallace A. Turner, Complainant,v.John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionNov 16, 2005
01a54702 (E.E.O.C. Nov. 16, 2005)

01a54702

11-16-2005

Wallace A. Turner, Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Wallace A. Turner v. United States Postal Service

01A54702

November 16, 2005

.

Wallace A. Turner,

Complainant,

v.

John E. Potter,

Postmaster General,

United States Postal Service,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A54702

Agency No. 1E-802-0012-05

DECISION

Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission from the agency's

decision dated May 31, 2005, dismissing his 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. In his

complaint, complainant alleged that he was subjected to discrimination

on the bases of race and color when:

Complainant was not selected as an Acting Supervisor (204B) from December

27, 2004 through January 28, 2005.

On January 28, 2005, management established new qualifications and

requirements to apply for the Acting Supervisor Program.

The agency dismissed the complaint pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1)

for failure to state a claim. The agency found that no one was selected

as an acting supervisor from December 27, 2004 through January 28, 2005,

and that complainant did not apply to be an acting supervisor after

January 28, 2005. Accordingly, the agency found that complainant was

not aggrieved and that his complainant did not state a claim.

The regulation set forth at 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1) provides, in

relevant part, that an agency shall dismiss a complaint that fails to

state a claim. An agency shall accept a complaint from any aggrieved

employee or applicant for employment who believes that he or she

has been discriminated against by that agency because of race, color,

religion, sex, national origin, age or disabling condition. 29 C.F.R. ��

1614.103, .106(a). The Commission's federal sector case precedent has

long defined an "aggrieved employee" as one who suffers a present harm

or loss with respect to a term, condition, or privilege of employment

for which there is a remedy. Diaz v. Department of the Air Force,

EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April 21, 1994).

In the instant case, we find nothing in the record shows that the agency

selected anyone for the acting supervisor program from December 27,

2004 through January 28, 2005. Further, we find that complainant does

not refute the agency's finding that he did not apply for the program

after January 28, 2005. Complainant has failed to show that there was

any Acting Supervisor position for which he was not selected during the

time period in question.

We therefore AFFIRM the agency's dismissal of the complaint pursuant to

29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1) for failure to state a claim.

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

November 16, 2005

__________________

Date