0120172128
09-20-2018
Darell C.,1 Complainant, v. Steven T. Mnuchin, Secretary, Department of the Treasury, Agency.
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013
Darell C.,1
Complainant,
v.
Steven T. Mnuchin,
Secretary,
Department of the Treasury,
Agency.
Appeal No. 0120172128
Agency No. BFS-120195-F
DECISION
Complainant filed a timely appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) from an Agency final decision, dated May 18, 2017, dismissing a formal complaint of unlawful 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. The Commission accepts the appeal in accordance with 29 C.F.R. 1614.405.
BACKGROUND
During the relevant time, Complainant worked as an Information Technology Specialist for the End-User Support Branch of the Agency's Bureau of the Fiscal Service facility in Parkersburg, West Virginia. In a notice dated November 22, 2016, Complainant was terminated while a probationary employee. Complainant filed a formal complaint based on race.
In the instant final decision, the Agency dismissed the formal complaint as untimely filed. According to the Agency, Complainant received the Notice of Right to File a Discrimination Complaint (hereinafter "Notice") on March 4, 2017. To be timely filed within the 15-day time limit, the Agency stated the complaint needed to be filed by March 19, 2017. The Agency determined the formal complaint was not filed until April 17, 2017.
Complainant filed the instant appeal. On appeal, Complainant submits a document which appears to describe the chronology of emails with the EEO Counselor in short, bullet-point statements. The statements reference more than one mailing of the Notice, and unsuccessful attempts by Complainant to fax the formal complaint. Additionally, Complainant has furnished an email, dated February 27, 2017 from the EEO Counselor stating "Here in the [Notice], this form will be mailed to you for certified mail . . . ."
ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
The regulation set forth at 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2) states, in pertinent pan, that an agency shall dismiss a complaint which fails to comply with the applicable time limits contained in 29 C.F.R. � 1614.106, which, in turn, requires the filing of a formal complaint within fifteen (15) days of receiving the notice of the right to do so.
Here, the Agency provides a United States Postal Service "Tracking Results" for the certified mail number assigned to the Notice. The document states that the Notice was "delivered, left with individual" on March 4, 2017 in Brandywine, Maryland. The record does not include Complainant's street address or a signature confirmation. According to the Agency, Complainant waited until April 17, 2017, well beyond the fifteen-day time limit, to file his formal complaint. The Agency's assertion, however, is not supported by the instant record. The record does not contain a copy of the complaint envelope, bearing a legible postmark. The formal complaint was "Received" stamped, by the Agency, as "4/17/17." This is inadequate to establish when the complaint was filed. Contrastingly, in his formal complaint, Complainant identifies the date he received the Notice as February 27, 2017, and he dated his signature on the complaint as February 28, 2017. Therefore, we find that the Agency has failed to substantiate the bases for its final decision. See Marshall v. Dep't of the Navy, EEOC Request No. 05910685 (Sept. 6, 1991).
CONCLUSION
The Agency's final decision dismissing Complainant's complaint is hereby REVERSED and the matter is REMANDED to the Agency for further processing in accordance with the ORDER below.
ORDER (E0610)
The Agency is ordered to process the remanded claims in accordance with 29 C.F.R. � 1614.108. The Agency shall acknowledge to the Complainant that it has received the remanded claims within thirty (30) calendar days of the date this decision is issued. The Agency shall issue to Complainant a copy of the investigative file and also shall notify Complainant of the appropriate rights within one hundred fifty (150) calendar days of the date this decision becomes final, unless the matter is otherwise resolved prior to that time. If the Complainant requests a final decision without a hearing, the Agency shall issue a final decision within sixty (60) days of receipt of Complainant's request.
A copy of the Agency's letter of acknowledgment to Complainant and a copy of the notice that transmits the investigative file and notice of rights must be sent to the Compliance Officer as referenced below.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K0610)
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 (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 (Nov. 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 (R0610)
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 (Z0815)
If you want to file a civil action but cannot pay the fees, costs, or security to do so, you may request permission from the court to proceed with the civil action without paying these fees or costs. Similarly, if you cannot afford an attorney to represent you in the civil action, you may request the court to appoint an attorney for you. You must submit the requests for waiver of court costs or appointment of an attorney directly to the court, not the Commission. The court has the sole discretion to grant or deny these types of requests. Such requests do not alter the time limits for filing a civil action (please read the paragraph titled Complainant's Right to File a Civil Action for the specific time limits).
FOR THE COMMISSION:
______________________________ Carlton M. Hadden's signature
Carlton M. Hadden, Director
Office of Federal Operations
September 20, 2018
__________________
Date
1 This case has been randomly assigned a pseudonym which will replace Complainant's name when the decision is published to non-parties and the Commission's website.
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