0120090780
05-08-2009
Bonnie J. Spencer, Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.
Bonnie J. Spencer,
Complainant,
v.
John E. Potter,
Postmaster General,
United States Postal Service,
Agency.
Appeal No. 0120090780
Hearing No. 443-2007-00027X
Agency No. 1J-536-0008-06
DECISION
On December 1, 2008, in accordance with EEOC Regulations, complainant
filed an appeal claiming that the agency failed to comply with its'
final order dated July 28, 2008.
Under 29 C.F.R. � 1614.504, if a complainant believes that the agency
has failed to comply with the terms of a final action, she shall notify
the EEO Director in writing of the alleged noncompliance within thirty
days of when she knew or should have known of the alleged noncompliance.
The regulation provides that the agency shall resolve the matter and
respond to complainant in writing. If the agency does not respond to the
complainant or she is not satisfied with the agency's attempt to resolve
the matter, she may appeal to the Commission for a determination as to
whether the agency has complied with the final action. The appeal is
deemed timely and is accepted pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(a).
On April 1, 2008, the EEOC Administrative Judge (AJ) issued a decision
finding that complainant, as well as three other employees,1 were victims
of unlawful employment discrimination on the basis of disability when they
were repeatedly bypassed for overtime opportunities.2 The AJ ordered
that the complainants be compensated for overtime in the amount they
would have worked absent the agency's discriminatory refusal to make an
individualized assessment of each complainant's capabilities and the
work that would have been performed. Since the complainants were not
qualified to perform duties on all the lost overtime opportunities and
they may have been compensated by the grievance process, the AJ ordered
the agency to calculate back pay based on 25% of the amount of hours
each complainant was bypassed from February 2006 to the present.3
On July 28, 2008, the agency issued a final action implementing the AJ's
decision. The agency agreed that disability discrimination regarding
the overtime assignments was established.
On appeal, complainant, through her attorney, contends that the agency
has failed to comply with its final action. Specifically, complainant
explains that it notified the agency in writing, on October 8, 2008,
that it was not using individualized assessments to determine overtime
eligibility as required by the AJ decision. According to the complainant,
the agency's October 31, 2008 reply failed to address her concerns.
Consequently, she filed the instant appeal.
As an initial matter, the Commission notes that neither party appealed
the final order. Therefore, we shall not review the AJ's findings
on liability. Instead, we will only address whether the agency has
complied with the final order.
The instant record is incomplete. While the agency provided extensive
records regarding the pre-complaint, formal complaint, and hearing stage,
there is little documentation regarding what occurred after the final
order was issued in July 2008. Specifically, the only document related
to actions following the final order was a letter from the agency's
EEO office to the Human Resources Manager describing the actions order
by the AJ. The manager was notified to "undertake compliance activity,
promptly". We are unable to determine if the agency has completed any of
the actions ordered by the AJ; particularly, the individual assessment
of each complainant's lost overtime opportunities and payment of 25%
of those hours from February 2006 to the present.
Because the agency has not provided any evidence showing it has complied
with the back pay order, we REMAND this matter to the agency to take
corrective action in accordance with this decision and the ORDER below.
ORDER
The agency is ordered to take the following remedial action:
To the extent that it has not already done so, the agency shall issue
complainant a check for the back pay awarded in its July 28, 2008 final
action within forty-five (45) calendar days of the date this decision
becomes final. Specifically, the agency shall compensate complainant for
25% of the amount of hours of overtime for which she was bypassed from
February 2006 to present. The hours of overtime shall be determined
by the amount she would have worked absent the agency's discriminatory
refusal to make an individualized assessment of her capabilities and the
work that could be performed. Complainant shall cooperate in the agency's
efforts to compute the amount of back pay due and shall provide relevant
information requested by the agency. If there is a dispute regarding
the exact amount of back pay due, the agency shall issue complainant a
check for the undisputed amount and shall issue a final decision with
appeal rights to this Commission concerning its calculations of the
amount awarded.
The agency is further directed to submit a report of compliance, as
provided in the statement entitled "Implementation of the Commission's
Decision." The report shall include supporting documentation verifying
that the corrective action has been implemented
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K1208)
Compliance with the Commission's corrective action is mandatory.
The agency shall submit its compliance report within thirty (30) calendar
days of the completion of all ordered corrective action. The report shall
be submitted to the Compliance Officer, Office of Federal Operations,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, P.O. Box 77960, Washington,
DC 20013. The agency's report must contain supporting documentation,
and the agency must send a copy of all submissions to the complainant.
If the agency does not comply with the Commission's order, the complainant
may petition the Commission for enforcement of the order. 29 C.F.R. �
1614.503(a). The complainant also has the right to file a civil action
to enforce compliance with the Commission's order prior to or following
an administrative petition for enforcement. See 29 C.F.R. �� 1614.407,
1614.408, and 29 C.F.R. � 1614.503(g). Alternatively, the complainant
has the right to file a civil action on the underlying complaint in
accordance with the paragraph below entitled "Right to File A Civil
Action." 29 C.F.R. �� 1614.407 and 1614.408. A civil action for
enforcement or a civil action on the underlying complaint is subject
to the deadline stated in 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16(c) (1994 & Supp. IV 1999).
If the complainant files a civil action, the administrative processing of
the complaint, including any petition for enforcement, will be terminated.
See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.409.
STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION (M1208)
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 77960,
Washington, DC 20013. 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 (R0408)
This is a decision requiring the agency to continue its administrative
processing of your complaint. However, if you wish to file a civil
action, you have the right to file such action in an appropriate United
States District Court within ninety (90) calendar days from the date
that you receive this decision. In the alternative, you may file a
civil action after one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days of the date
you filed your complaint with the agency, or filed your appeal with the
Commission. 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. Filing a civil
action will terminate the administrative processing of your complaint.
RIGHT TO REQUEST COUNSEL (Z1008)
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 from the Court that
the Court appoint an attorney to represent you and that the Court also
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 with
the Court 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
May 8, 2009
__________________
Date
1 The instant case was consolidated for a hearing with complaints
by Jacqueline Childs, Donna Elmer, and Bonnie Harper. While the AJ
issued one decision, and the agency issued one final action, addressing
the complaints of all four employees, separate appeals were filed.
See Jacqueline Childs v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Appeal
No. 0120090777; Donna Elmer v. United States Postal Service, EEOC
Appeal No. 0120090778; Bonnie Harper v. United States Postal Service,
EEOC Appeal No. 0120090779.
2 Regarding the bases of age and sex, the AJ found the complainants
were not discriminatorily bypassed overtime opportunities. Further,
the AJ did not find that the complainants established discrimination
regarding work on holidays on any of the alleged bases.
3 The complainant was also awarded $7,000.00 in non-pecuniary damages,
as well as attorney's fees and costs. The AJ also ordered the agency
to provide EEO training on disability discrimination to all managers at
the facility. These matters are apparently not in dispute.
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0120090780
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013
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0120090780