Denise M. Cooney, Complainant,v.Donald L. Evans, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionFeb 6, 2001
01a11767 (E.E.O.C. Feb. 6, 2001)

01a11767

02-06-2001

Denise M. Cooney, Complainant, v. Donald L. Evans, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Agency.


Denise M. Cooney v. Department of Commerce

01A11767

February 6, 2001

.

Denise M. Cooney,

Complainant,

v.

Donald L. Evans,

Secretary,

Department of Commerce,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A11767

Agency No. 00-63-02566D

DECISION

The instant matter is being processed pursuant to a Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) entered into by the agency, the Bureau of the Census,

and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The MOU

was entered into in order to process complaints arising from the 2000

Decennial Census more effectively and efficiently.

Pursuant to the MOU, individuals file their complaints directly with

the Commission. The Commission, through its Washington, D.C. Field

Office, then conducts an early assessment of complaints and neutral

evaluation of cases. The Washington, D.C. Field Office of the Commission

establishes a record of the complaint by obtaining an affidavit from the

complainant and by contacting an agency official to obtain the necessary

information on the complaint. Based on the record established by the

Washington, D.C. Field Office, the Washington, D.C. Field Office will:

(1) notify the agency that the individual has elected not to file a

formal complaint; (2) issue a decision dismissing the complaint and

notify the complainant of his or her right to appeal the decision to

the Office of Federal Operations; (3) conduct settlement negotiations;

or (4) notify the complainant that the complaint has been accepted and

forward the complaint to the agency for further investigation.

The Commission's Washington, D.C. Field Office dismissed the instant

complaint for failure to timely file her formal complaint. Specifically,

the agency found that complainant received the February 8, 2000 notice of

right to file a formal complaint on June 2, 2000, but failed to file her

formal complaint until July 7, 2000. On appeal, complainant argues that

the return-receipt card is signed by someone other than her, that she

never received a copy of the February 8, 2000 notice, and that she did

not initially contact an EEO Counselor until June 19, 2000. Complainant

attached a notice of right to file dated June 19, 2000, indicating that

complainant's initial counselor contact occurred on June 19, 2000.

Complainants must file their formal complaints within fifteen (15) days of

receiving the right to do so. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.106. The regulations

require the dismissal of claims that fail to comply with this time limit.

See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(2).

The Counselor's Report also shows that complainant's initial counselor

contact occurred on June 19, 2000. The agency's certified mail receipt

indicates that the notice was mailed June 19, 2000. The return receipt

card does not include complainant's apartment number, and was signed by

someone other than complainant, dated June 2, 2000. Clearly, complainant

did not receive the notice prior to the date it was mailed. Therefore,

dismissal for untimeliness was improper.

CONCLUSION

Accordingly, the Field Office's dismissal is REVERSED, and the claim is

REMANDED for further investigation as provided herein.

ORDER

As provided in the Memorandum of Understanding, the Washington Field

Office shall conduct settlement negotiations and, if unsuccessful,

forward the files to the agency for investigation. The agency shall

complete its investigation within 180 days upon receipt of the file.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the agency must forward a

copy of the investigation to complainant, and provide her rights to a

final agency decision, or a hearing with an EEOC Administrative Judge.

The agency must provide the Compliance Officer with a copy of its cover

letter sending the investigation and notice of rights to complainant

as indicated herein. If the complaint has been settled or otherwise

closed within the 180 day time frame, then the agency must provide the

Compliance Officer with notice of such.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K0900)

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 19848,

Washington, D.C. 20036. 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)(Supp. V 1993). 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 (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

(R0900)

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 (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

February 6, 2001

__________________

Date