Complainant,v.Loretta E. Lynch, Attorney General, Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

May 15, 2015

01-2013-2671-0500 (E.E.O.C. May. 15, 2015)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013

,
Complainant,

v.

Loretta E. Lynch,
Attorney General,
Department of Justice
(Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives),
Agency.

Appeal No. 0120132671

Agency No. ATF-2011-00937

DECISION
Complainant appeals to the Commission from the Agency’s final decision dated June 4, 2013,
finding no discrimination concerning her complaint alleging 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. For the following reasons, we AFFIRM the Agency’s final decision finding no
discrimination.

BACKGROUND
In her complaint, dated January 21, 2012, Complainant, a GS-13 Industry Operations
Investigator with the Agency’s Houston Field Division in Houston, Texas, alleged
discrimination in reprisal for serving as a witness in an EEO complaint when on November 1,
2011, she received an unfair annual performance evaluation.1

After completion of the
investigation of the complaint, Complainant requested a final Agency decision. The Agency
thus issued its final Agency decision concluding that it asserted legitimate, nondiscriminatory
reasons for its action, which Complainant failed to rebut.

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
As this is an appeal from a decision issued without a hearing, pursuant to 29 C.F.R.
§ 1614.110(b), the Agency’s decision is subject to de novo review by the Commission. 29
C.F.R. § 1614.405(a). See

1 The record reflects that Complainant’s coworker filed an EEO complaint on October 25,
2010,in which Complainant was a witness.
Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29
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2
C.F.R. Part 1614

, at Chapter 9, § VI.A. (November 9, 1999) (explaining that the de novo
standard of review “requires that the Commission examine the record without regard to the
factual and legal determinations of the previous decision maker,” and that EEOC “review the
documents, statements, and testimony of record, including any timely and relevant submissions
of the parties, and . . . issue its decision based on the Commission’s own assessment of the
record and its interpretation of the law”).
After a review of the record, assuming arguendo that Complainant established a prima facie
case of discrimination, we find that the Agency articulated legitimate, nondiscriminatory
reasons for the annual performance evaluation. Complainant’s supervisor indicated that for the
rating period of October 1, 2010, to September 30, 2011, Complainant received the overall
rating of fully successful at issue. Specifically, the supervisor stated that Complainant received
the rating of “fully successful” for “planning” due to her low work productivity; the rating of
“exceeded” for “communication;” the rating of “minimally satisfactory” for “interpersonal
relations” due to her poor relationship with her coworkers and improper usage of the chain of
command; and the rating of “exceeded” for “knowledge.” Complainant does not dispute the
fact that during FY 2011, her work productivity was in fact low, i.e., lower than the last two
years. Complainant also acknowledges that she went directly to her second level supervisor,
instead of going to her immediate supervisor, concerning her coworker’s purported harassment
toward her, i.e., flicking on the lights on a government owned vehicle while following her.

After a review of the record, we find that Complainant failed to show that the Agency’s
articulated reasons were a mere pretext for discrimination. Furthermore, we find that
Complainant failed to show that she was treated less favorably than a similarly situated
employee under similar circumstances. Based on the foregoing, we find that Complainant
failed to show that the Agency’s action was motivated by discrimination as she alleged.

CONCLUSION
Accordingly, the Agency’s final decision finding of no discrimination is AFFIRMED.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION

(M0610)
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.

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3
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), at 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

(S0610)
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

(Z0610)
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
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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

Date
May 15, 2015