01a32924_r
10-06-2003
Francisco Chavez, Jr., Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.
Francisco Chavez, Jr. v. United States Postal Service
01A32924
October 6, 2003
.
Francisco Chavez, Jr.,
Complainant,
v.
John E. Potter,
Postmaster General,
United States Postal Service,
Agency.
Appeal No. 01A32924
Agency No. 1G-782-0018-02
DECISION
The record indicates that complainant filed his complaint, dated August
27, 2002, alleging that:
(1) On April 29, 2002, he was charged with AWOL for failure to report
for duty on his scheduled day off;
(2) On May 1, 2002, his supervisor reviewed complainant's absence
analysis and gave complainant an unsatisfactory for attendance review
for being 30 minutes late during February 2002; and,
(3) On May 5, 2002, his supervisor did not allow him to eat a lollipop
at his letter case.
On March 12, 2003, the agency issued its decision dismissing the complaint
for failure to state a claim, pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1).
The agency also dismissed claim (1) as moot, pursuant to 29 C.F.R. �
1614.107(a)(5), since during the investigation of the instant complaint,
the alleged AWOL charge was expunged from complainant's files via Step
2 of the grievance procedure.
Upon review, the Commission finds that claim (1) states a claim since
complainant was aggrieved regarding a term, condition, or privilege
of employment as a result of his being charged with the alleged AWOL.
Diaz v. Department of the Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April
21, 1994). With regard to the claim being rendered moot, since the
agency failed to address complainant's claim of compensatory damages,
the Commission finds that the subsequent expungement of the alleged AWOL,
via grievance, on November 13, 2002, has not rendered the complaint
moot. See County of Los Angeles v. Davis, 440 U.S. 625 (1979); see
also Glover v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Appeal No. 01930696
(December 9, 1993). Based on the foregoing, the Commission finds that
the agency's dismissal of claim (1) was improper.
With regard to claim (2), the record indicates that the alleged incident
involved an official discussion. This Commission has consistently held
that official discussions alone do not render an employee "aggrieved." See
Miranda v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Request No. 05920308
(June 11, 1992); Devine v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Request
Nos. 05910268, 05910269 and 05910270 (April 4, 1991). In the present
case, the Commission finds no claim by complainant that the discussion
was recorded in any personnel or supervisory files, nor that it can
be used as a basis for any subsequent disciplinary action. Thus, the
Commission finds that the agency's dismissal of claim (2) was proper.
With regard to claim (3), complainant failed to show that how he was
injured with regard to a term, privilege or condition of his employment
as a result of his not being allowed to eat a lollipop. Furthermore,
complainant did not indicate that he was subjected to the same action on
other occasions other than on May 5, 2002. After a review of the record,
the Commission finds that the alleged incident, alone, is not sufficiently
severe to state a claim of harassment. See Cobb v. Department of the
Treasury, EEOC Request No. 05970077 (March 13, 1997).
The agency's decision dismissing claims (2) and (3) is AFFIRMED. The
agency's decision dismissing claim (1) is hereby REVERSED. Claim (1)
is REMANDED for further processing in accordance with the Order below.
ORDER (E0900)
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 becomes final. 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 (K0501)
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)
(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 (M0701)
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 (T0900)
This decision affirms the agency's final decision/action in part, but it
also requires the agency to continue its administrative processing of a
portion of your complaint. 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 on both that portion
of your complaint which the Commission has affirmed and that portion
of the complaint which has been remanded for continued administrative
processing. 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 your appeal with the Commission, until
such time as the agency issues its final decision on your complaint.
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
October 6, 2003
__________________
Date