Willie Eaglin, Jr., Complainant,v.Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionNov 1, 2000
01a05673 (E.E.O.C. Nov. 1, 2000)

01a05673

11-01-2000

Willie Eaglin, Jr., Complainant, v. Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Agency.


Willie Eaglin, Jr. v. Department of Commerce

01A05673

November 1, 2000

.

Willie Eaglin, Jr.,

Complainant,

v.

Norman Y. Mineta,

Secretary,

Department of Commerce,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A05673

Agency No. 00-63-00471D

DECISION

The instant matter is being processed pursuant to a Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) entered into by the agency, the Bureau of the Census,

and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The MOU

was entered into in order to process complaints arising from the 2000

Decennial Census more effectively and efficiently.

Pursuant to the MOU, individuals file their complaints directly with

the Commission. The Commission, through its Washington, D.C. Field

Office, then conducts an early assessment of complaints and neutral

evaluation of cases. The Washington, D.C. Field Office of the Commission

establishes a record of the complaint by obtaining an affidavit from the

complainant and by contacting an agency official to obtain the necessary

information on the complaint. Based on the record established by the

Washington, D.C. Field Office, the Washington, D.C. Field Office will:

(1) notify the agency that the individual has elected not to file a

formal complaint; (2) issue a decision dismissing the complaint and

notify the complainant of his or her right to appeal the decision to

the Office of Federal Operations; (3) conduct settlement negotiations;

or (4) notify the complainant that the complaint has been accepted and

forward the complaint to the agency for further investigation.

On August 10, 2000, the Commission's Washington, D.C. Field Office

dismissed the instant complaint for failure to state a claim. In his

complaint, complainant alleged harm on the basis of retaliation when

he was terminated. Complainant criticized his assistant manager for

taking action against employees without informing them of their mistakes

or giving them an opportunity to correct them. Subsequently, he was

terminated on February 6, 2000. The Field Office found that complainant

had not engaged in prior protected activity, and therefore failed to

state a claim of reprisal.

The record reveals that complainant and a coworker were told to cease

their current projects in December 1999, and were never called back

to work. Complainant was unaware of his infraction, and believed he

was still employed by the agency; he openly criticized the assistant

manager's failure to follow the feedback requirements of supervision.

On February 11, 2000, complainant received a notice of termination,

effective February 6, 2000. The notice did not inform complainant of

the reasons for his termination.

Complainant contacted an EEO Counselor the same day he received his

notice of termination. On February 27, 2000, his termination was

rescinded, and his �not-to-exceed� appointment date was extended to

August 27, 2000. On March 2, 2000, complainant filed a formal complaint

concerning his termination, requesting damages, back pay, lost wages,

and job restoration.<1>

EEOC Regulations require the dismissal of complaints that fail to

state a claim. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1). To state a claim,

complainant must allege present harm inflicted on the basis of race,

sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or reprisal for prior

protected activity. See Diaz v. Department of the Air Force, EEOC

Request No. 05931049 (April 21, 1994).

Concerning claims of reprisal, EEOC Regulations prohibit retaliation

against an individual for opposing any practice made unlawful by Title

VII of the Civil Rights Act (Title VII) (42 U.S.C. � 2000e et seq.),

the Equal Pay Act (29 U.S.C. � 206(d)), the Age Discrimination in

Employment Act (ADEA) (29 U.S.C. � 621 et seq.), the Rehabilitation

Act (29 U.S.C. � 791 et seq.), or for participating in any stage of

administrative or judicial proceedings under these statutes. 29 C.F.R. �

1614.101(b). Complainant did not seek counseling to oppose allegedly

unlawful practices until February 11, 2000, after his February 6, 2000

termination. Complainant's prior criticism of the assistant manager

does not constitute prior protected activity. Therefore, complainant

failed to allege harm on a basis protected by this Commission and his

complaint fails to state a claim.

CONCLUSION

Accordingly, the Field Office's dismissal is AFFIRMED.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL

RECONSIDERATION (M0900)

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 1, 2000

__________________

Date

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:

__________________

Date

______________________________

1Complainant also filed a separate complaint, Agency No. 00-63-03198D,

claiming that the agency failed to bring him back to work after his

termination was canceled in reprisal for his EEO contact in the present

complaint, and then terminated him (again) on July 29, 2000. He contended

that other employees terminated for similar reasons were called back

to work. Complainant filed a separate appeal for these claims in EEOC

Appeal No. 01A06013, which the Commission closed as premature because

no decision had been issued.