01a02437
01-02-2001
Charles E. Thomas v. Department of the Army 01A02437 January 2, 2001 . Charles E. Thomas, Complainant, v. Gregory R. Dahlberg, Acting Secretary, Department of the Army, Agency.
Charles E. Thomas v. Department of the Army
01A02437
January 2, 2001
.
Charles E. Thomas,
Complainant,
v.
Gregory R. Dahlberg,
Acting Secretary,
Department of the Army,
Agency.
Appeal No. 01A02437
Agency No. AHBBFO9912J0090
DISMISSAL OF APPEAL
Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission from a final decision of
the agency concerning his complaint of unlawful employment discrimination.
The appeal was filed on February 11, 2000.
By regulation, appeals to the Commission must be filed within thirty
(30) calendar days after a complainant receives notice of the final
agency decision. Appeals are deemed filed on the date received by
the Commission, unless postmarked earlier. 29 C.F.R. � 1614.402(a).
The regulation further provides that a document shall be deemed timely
if it is 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 five days of the expiration of the applicable
filing period. 29 C.F.R. � 1614.604(b).
In this case, complainant acknowledges receiving the final decision on
December 17, 1999. Complainant's appeal, which did not have a postmark,
was received by the Commission through fax on February 11, 2000, which
was beyond the thirty (30) day time limit, including the five (5) day
extension, described above. Furthermore, it appears that on January 13,
2000, complainant, initially, faxed his appeal to an agency's EEO Office,
rather than to the Commission. The record reveals that the final agency
decision explicitly informed complainant of the time limits on his
right to appeal, including the Commission's address. The Commission's
regulations governing the computation of time limits allow for waiver
and/or equitable tolling. 29 C.F.R. � 1614.604(c). On appeal, however,
complainant fails to submit adequate justification to invoke waiver or
equitable tolling. Accordingly, the appeal is DISMISSED as untimely.
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
January 2, 2001
__________________
Date