[Redacted], Corie E., 1 Complainant,v.Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security (Customs and Border Protection), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Nov 21, 2022

Appeal No. 2022000291 (E.E.O.C. Nov. 21, 2022)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION Office of Federal Operations P.O. Box 77960 Washington, DC 20013 Corie E.,1 Complainant, v. Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security (Customs and Border Protection), Agency. Appeal No. 2022000291 Hearing No. 520-2021-00264X Agency No. HS-CBP-01219-2019 DECISION Complainant filed a timely appeal, pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(a), from the Agency’s September 7, 2021 final order concerning her equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaint alleging 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., Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 791 et seq., and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq. BACKGROUND At the time of events giving rise to this complaint, Complainant worked as a Correspondence Analyst, GS-0301-12, in the Agency’s Office of Field Operations in Washington, D.C. On July 11, 2019, Complainant filed an EEO complaint alleging that the Agency discriminated against her on the bases of race (African-American), sex (female), color (Black), disability (Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder), age (62), and in reprisal for prior protected EEO activity when: 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. 2022000291 2 1. Beginning July 5, 2018 and continuing, Complainant was subjected to a hostile work environment when: a. Complainant’s duty location was changed from the Planning, Program Analysis and Evaluation Office to the Business Operations Center, and b. On or around April 23, 2019, the Program Manager accused Complainant of taking longer than an hour for lunch; and 2. On or around June 19, 2019, the Agency denied Complainant’s reasonable accommodation requests for the following: a. shift flexibility on Mondays and Fridays, b. a government-issued cell phone, c. additional telework, and d. a workstation assessment, which remains pending.2 After its investigation into the complaint, the Agency provided Complainant with a copy of the report of investigation and notice of right to request a hearing before an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) Administrative Judge (AJ). Complainant timely requested a hearing. The AJ subsequently issued a summary judgment decision in favor of the Agency. In the decision, the AJ first found that Complainant failed to establish a hostile work environment. Complainant claimed that she was subjected to a hostile work environment when she was returned from her temporary duty assignment back to her original duty assignment at the Business Operations Center. Complainant failed to show any evidence that this event occurred because of her membership in any protected class. The AJ noted that in her declaration, when asked why she believed returning to her duty station constituted harassment, Complainant simply stated “N/A.” Further, Complainant denied at her deposition that her management chain discriminated against her in requiring her return. Additionally, the alleged conduct was insufficiently severe or pervasive. Next, the AJ addressed Complainant’s reasonable accommodation claim and found that the record did not show that she was an individual with a disability as defined by the Rehabilitation Act. Specifically, in her medical documentation, Complainant’s physician denied that Complainant was impeded in any major life activity and had no limitations at work. Notwithstanding the physician’s assertion, the AJ found that the Agency extensively engaged in the interactive process and granted substantial accommodations to Complainant. For example, Complainant was granted three days of telework and was provided various pieces of ergonomic equipment. Complainant did not demonstrate that the provided accommodations were ineffective. As a result, the AJ found that Complainant was not denied reasonable accommodation in violation of the Rehabilitation Act. The Agency issued its final order fully adopting the AJ’s decision. The instant appeal followed. 2 While the matter was pending before an EEOC Administrative Judge, Complainant withdrew claims (1)(b) and 2(b). 2022000291 3 The Commission's regulations allow an AJ to grant summary judgment when he or she finds that there is no genuine issue of material fact. 29 C.F.R. § 1614.109(g). An issue of fact is “genuine” if the evidence is such that a reasonable fact finder could find in favor of the non-moving party. Celotex v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23 (1986); Oliver v. Digital Equip. Corp., 846 F.2d 103, 105 (1st Cir. 1988). A fact is “material” if it has the potential to affect the outcome of the case. In rendering this appellate decision, we must scrutinize the AJ’s legal and factual conclusions, and the Agency’s final order adopting them, de novo. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(a)(stating that a “decision on an appeal from an Agency’s final action shall be based on a de novo review…”); see also Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD- 110), at Chap. 9, § VI.B. (Aug. 5, 2015) (providing that an administrative judge’s determination to issue a decision without a hearing, and the decision itself, will both be reviewed de novo). In order to successfully oppose a decision by summary judgment, a complainant must identify, with specificity, facts in dispute either within the record or by producing further supporting evidence and must further establish that such facts are material under applicable law. Such a dispute would indicate that a hearing is necessary to produce evidence to support a finding that the Agency was motivated by discriminatory or retaliatory animus. Here, however, Complainant has failed to establish such a dispute. Even construing any inferences raised by the undisputed facts in favor of Complainant, a reasonable fact-finder could not find in Complainant’s favor. Upon careful review of the AJ’s decision and the evidence of record, as well as the parties’ arguments on appeal, we conclude that the AJ correctly determined that the preponderance of the evidence did not establish that Complainant was denied reasonable accommodation or subjected to discrimination, reprisal, or a hostile work environment as alleged. Accordingly, we AFFIRM the Agency’s final order implementing the AJ’s decision. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL RECONSIDERATION (M0920) The Commission may, in its discretion, reconsider this appellate decision if Complainant or the Agency submits a written request that contains arguments or evidence that 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 for reconsideration must be filed with EEOC’s Office of Federal Operations (OFO) within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of this decision. If the party requesting reconsideration elects to file a statement or brief in support of the request, that statement or brief must be filed together with the request for reconsideration. A party shall have twenty (20) calendar days from receipt of another party’s request for reconsideration within which to submit a brief or statement in opposition. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405; Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110), at Chap. 9 § VII.B (Aug. 5, 2015). 2022000291 4 Complainant should submit his or her request for reconsideration, and any statement or brief in support of his or her request, via the EEOC Public Portal, which can be found at https://publicportal.eeoc.gov/Portal/Login.aspx. Alternatively, Complainant can submit his or her request and arguments to the Director, Office of Federal Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, via regular mail addressed to P.O. Box 77960, Washington, DC 20013, or by certified mail addressed to 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507. In the absence of a legible postmark, a complainant’s request to reconsider shall be deemed timely filed if OFO receives it by mail within five days of the expiration of the applicable filing period. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.604. An agency’s request for reconsideration must be submitted in digital format via the EEOC’s Federal Sector EEO Portal (FedSEP). See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). Either party’s request and/or statement or brief in opposition must also include proof of service on the other party, unless Complainant files his or her request via the EEOC Public Portal, in which case no proof of service is required. Failure to file within the 30-day time period will result in dismissal of the party’s request for reconsideration as untimely, unless extenuating circumstances prevented the timely filing of the request. Any supporting documentation must be submitted together with the 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 (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. 2022000291 5 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 November 21, 2022 Date