Andrew J. Johnson, Complainant,v.John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Southeast Area), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionOct 23, 2001
01A14458 (E.E.O.C. Oct. 23, 2001)

01A14458

10-23-2001

Andrew J. Johnson, Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Southeast Area), Agency.


Andrew J. Johnson v. United States Postal Service

01A14458

October 23, 2001

.

Andrew J. Johnson,

Complainant,

v.

John E. Potter,

Postmaster General,

United States Postal Service

(Southeast Area),

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A14458

Agency No. 4-H-390-0077-99

DECISION

Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission from a final action of

the agency concerning his complaint of discrimination in violation of

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 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.

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. �1614.402(a) provides that appeals to the

Commission must be filed within 30 calendar days of the date on which a

complainant receives a dismissal, action, or decision. EEOC Regulation

29 C.F.R. � 1614.402(b) states that if the complainant is represented by

an attorney of record, then the 30-day time period provided in paragraph

(a) of this section within which to appeal shall be calculated from the

receipt of the required document by the attorney. In all other instances,

the time period within which to appeal shall be calculated from the

receipt of the required document by the complainant.

Appeals are deemed filed on the date received by the Commission,

unless postmarked earlier. 29 C.F.R. �1614.604. In addition, an appeal

is timely filed if received or postmarked before the expiration of the

applicable filing period, or, in the absence of a legible postmark, if

it is received by mail within 5 days of the expiration of the applicable

filing period. 29 C.F.R. �1614.604(b).

In the case at hand, complainant received the final agency action

on April 11, 2001. Complainant was not represented by an attorney.

The final agency action properly notified complainant that his appeal

must be filed with the Commission within 30 calendar days, and provided

the correct address for filing an appeal.

Complainant's appeal was legibly postmarked on July 9, 2001. Consequently,

using the postmark date as the official filing date, the appeal is deemed

untimely because it was filed more than 30 days after complainant received

a copy of the FAD. Complainant provided no adequate justification for an

extension of the applicable time limit for filing his appeal. Accordingly,

complainant's appeal is hereby DISMISSED.

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 23, 2001

__________________

Date