0120143124
01-30-2015
Complainant, v. Robert McDonald, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.
Complainant,
v.
Robert McDonald,
Secretary,
Department of Veterans Affairs,
Agency.
Appeal No. 0120143124
Agency No. 200H05282014100172
DECISION
Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from a final decision (FAD) by the Agency dated August 12, 2014, finding that it was in compliance with the terms of the settlement agreement into which the parties entered. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.402; 29 C.F.R. � 1614.504(b); and 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405.
BACKGROUND
At the time of events giving rise to this complaint, Complainant worked as a Secretary, GS-7 at the Agency's New York Health Services facility in Buffalo, New York.
Believing that the Agency subjected her to unlawful discrimination, Complainant contacted an Agency EEO Counselor to initiate the EEO complaint process. On January 13, 2014, Complainant and the Agency entered into a settlement agreement to resolve the matter. The settlement agreement provided, in pertinent part, that the Agency shall:
A. Within 30 calendar days following execution of this agreement, or February 13, 2014, the Agency shall pay to Complainant the lump sum of $2,000.00 by check payable to her. Any tax liability arising from this payment is the sole responsibility of Complainant. The Agency makes no representations as to the taxability of the payment or the tax treatment this payment will receive from the Internal Revenue Service.
B. Agree that this cash settlement will not affect Complainant's rights regarding her previous submission for a reclassification of her position from a GS07 to a GS08, which is currently being reviewed by VISN 2 Classification; nor affect her right to appeal the aforementioned reclassification of her position in the event it is denied.
By letter to the Agency dated February 26, 2014, Complainant alleged that the Agency was in breach of the settlement agreement, and requested that the Agency specifically implement its terms. Specifically, Complainant indicated that she received her reclassification decision on February 19, 2014. The decision was to deny Complainant's request to have her position reclassified as a GS-8 position. She noted that it had been dated December 19, 2013, and the HR Representative informed her that it was received in their office on February 5, 2014. As such, she believed the Agency breached the settlement agreement dated January 13, 2014. Complainant believed that she was deceived by the Agency and that her reclassification was not "currently being reviewed" as stated in the settlement agreement.
In its August 12, 2014 FAD, the Agency concluded that it did not breach the settlement agreement. The Agency noted that it paid Complainant the $ 2000.00 as agreed upon in the settlement agreement. As for the reclassification, the Agency stated that Complainant could grieve or appeal the reclassification decision. However, the settlement agreement did not provide for or guarantee an outcome of the reclassification. Therefore, the Agency concluded that there was no breach.
Complainant appealed asserting that the events related to the settlement agreement go back a number of years and that the events of December 2013 to February 2014 were merely the tip of the iceberg. She asserted that the Agency deceived her into signing the agreement.
ANALYSIS
EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.504(a) provides that any settlement agreement knowingly and voluntarily agreed to by the parties, reached at any stage of the complaint process, shall be binding on both parties. The Commission has held that a settlement agreement constitutes a contract between the employee and the Agency, to which ordinary rules of contract construction apply. See Herrington v. Dep't of Def., EEOC Request No. 05960032 (December 9, 1996). The Commission has further held that it is the intent of the parties as expressed in the contract, not some unexpressed intention, that controls the contract's construction. Eggleston v. Dep't of Veterans Affairs, EEOC Request No. 05900795 (August 23, 1990). In ascertaining the intent of the parties with regard to the terms of a settlement agreement, the Commission has generally relied on the plain meaning rule. See Hyon O v. U.S. Postal Serv., EEOC Request No. 05910787 (December 2, 1991). This rule states that if the writing appears to be plain and unambiguous on its face, its meaning must be determined from the four corners of the instrument without resort to extrinsic evidence of any nature. See Montgomery Elevator Co. v. Building Eng'g Servs. Co., 730 F.2d 377 (5th Cir. 1984).
In the instant case, we find that the Agency has complied with the settlement agreement. Provision (B) of the agreement provides that the settlement agreement "will not affect Complainant's rights regarding her previous submission for a reclassification of her position from a GS07 to a GS08." Complainant has not shown that the Agency official who participated in the agreement was aware that the reclassification decision had been completed. Furthermore, the agreement still provided her with appeal rights and grievance rights as to the any reclassification determination. As such, we find no breach of provision (B) of the settlement agreement. Complainant has received payment as provided in provision (A) of the settlement agreement.
CONCLUSION
Based on a thorough review of the record and the contentions on appeal, including those not specifically addressed herein, we AFFIRM the Agency's determination finding no breach of the settlement agreement.
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.
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 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 30, 2015
__________________
Date
2
0120143124
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013
2
0120143124