01a41406
08-04-2005
Mary H. Holmes, Complainant, v. Gale A. Norton, Secretary, Department of the Interior, Agency.
Mary H. Holmes v. Department of the Interior
01A41406
August 4, 2005
.
Mary H. Holmes,
Complainant,
v.
Gale A. Norton,
Secretary,
Department of the Interior,
Agency.
Appeal No. 01A41406
Agency No. LMS-03-002
DECISION
The complainant timely initiated an appeal from a final agency decision
(FAD) concerning her 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. and the Age Discrimination in
Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as amended, 29 U.S.C. � 621 et seq.
The appeal is accepted pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405. For the
following reasons, the Commission affirms the agency's final decision.
The record reveals that during the relevant time, the complainant was
employed as a Land Law Examiner at the agency's Minerals Management
Service in New Orleans, Louisiana. The complainant alleged that she was
discriminated against on the bases of her sex (female), color (Dark),
and age (D.O.B. 12/17/1953) when she discovered that a position for
which she had applied several times was filled non-competitively by a
Presidential Management Intern.
At the conclusion of the investigation, the complainant was informed of
her right to request a hearing before an EEOC Administrative Judge or
alternatively, to receive a final decision by the agency. The complainant
requested that the agency issue a final decision.
In its FAD, the agency concluded that the complainant had not been
discriminated against because the agency had not selected anyone from
the vacancy announcements for the positions for which the complainant
applied. Those announcements had been cancelled; and the position
occupied by the Presidential Management Intern had been filled outside
of the merit process.
On appeal, the complainant contends that she was better qualified than
the younger, male, lighter complexioned Presidential Management Intern
and that the agency should have selected her rather than placing the
Intern non-competitively. The agency requests that we affirm its FAD.
The Commission finds that the complainant has not shown that she was
subjected to discrimination because the agency did not select from
either of the vacancy announcements for which the complainant applied. In
reaching this conclusion, we note that the record shows that the vacancy
announcements were cancelled, no selection was made for the positions for
which the complainant applied and the position to which the Presidential
Management Intern was appointed had a different job title. In addition,
the placement was through a different career ladder progression.
Moreover, the complainant has not shown that the complainant's color,
sex or age were determinative factors in the agency's decision to reassign
the Presidential Management Intern.
Therefore, after a careful review of the record, including complainant's
contentions on appeal, the agency's response, and arguments and evidence
not specifically addressed in this decision, we affirm the FAD.
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 (S0900)
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 (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
August 4, 2005
__________________
Date