[Redacted], Joanna K., 1 Complainant,v.Denis R. McDonough, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (Veterans Health Administration), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Jan 5, 2023

Appeal No. 2023000003 (E.E.O.C. Jan. 5, 2023)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION Office of Federal Operations P.O. Box 77960 Washington, DC 20013 Joanna K.,1 Complainant, v. Denis R. McDonough, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (Veterans Health Administration), Agency. Appeal No. 2023000003 DISMISSAL OF APPEAL On October 1, 2022, Complainant filed an appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) through the Federal Sector EEO Portal. Based on Complainant’s submissions, she requested that EEOC review a decision that was dated March 30, 2022, from the Agency’s Harassment Prevention Program that partially substantiated some of Complainant’s harassment allegations against her supervisor. In an October 14, 2022 email, this Commission informed Complainant that we were unable to review the decision from the Agency’s anti-harassment program. EEOC can only review those decisions appealed from the EEO complaint process as governed by its regulations at 29 C.F.R. Part 1614. The Commission’s correspondence further advised Complainant to explain why her appeal was appropriate. Our email further recommended that Complainant contact an Agency EEO counselor in order to pursue her harassment claims in the EEO forum rather than via the Agency’s internal anti-harassment program. Thereafter, Complainant uploaded additional documents, but did not provide an appealable final decision concerning a complaint filed pursuant to 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 that was reviewable by the Commission. In December 2022, the Agency requested this matter closed because Complainant had not yet contacted an Agency EEO Counselor to initiate the EEO complaint process. 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. 2 2023000003 Moreover, the Agency had not issued an appealable final decision because Complainant still had not filed a formal EEO complaint through its Office of Resolution Management, Diversity, & Inclusion. Accordingly, Complainant’s October 1, 2022 appeal is hereby DISMISSED. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.401. 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). 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. 3 2023000003 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. 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 January 5, 2023 Date