[Redacted], Ryan C., 1 Complainant,v.Antony Blinken, Secretary, Department of State, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Feb 22, 2023

Appeal No. 2022004957 (E.E.O.C. Feb. 22, 2023)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION Office of Federal Operations P.O. Box 77960 Washington, DC 20013 Ryan C.,1 Complainant, v. Antony Blinken, Secretary, Department of State, Agency. Appeal No. 2022004957 Agency No. DOS-0188-22 DECISION Complainant filed a timely appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) from the Agency's final decision dated September 19, 2022, dismissing a formal 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. BACKGROUND During the period at issue, Complainant worked for the Agency as a Special Agent in Arlington, Virginia. On March 24, 2022, Complainant filed a formal complaint alleging that the Agency subjected him to discrimination on the basis of sex (male). The Agency initially accepted the formal complaint for investigation via letter dated May 5, 2022. Subsequently, the Agency issued a final decision on September 19, 2022 dismissing Complainant’s complaint on procedural grounds. In its September 19, 2022 dismissal decision, the Agency determined that the formal complaint was comprised of the following claim: 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. 2022004957 2 Because of [Complainant’s] sex, [he was] discriminated against when [he] became aware on or around March 5, 2022, that [his] 2020 Meritorious Service Increase (MSI) nomination was denied. The Agency dismissed the formal on the grounds that Complainant previously filed a grievance on the same matter. The instant appeal followed. Complainant asserts that his grievance “had a different purpose…[and] was not filed to raise the matter of discrimination based on sex…” Complainant asserts had he intended to raise a discrimination matter in his grievance he would have cited to 3 FAM 4412(c)(9)(a), which he did not do. Complainant also states that it was only in March 2022, after he filed his grievance, that he discovered that he was treated differently than similarly situated employees. In response, the Agency requests that we affirm its final decision. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. § 1614.301(a) states that when a person is employed by an agency subject to 5 U.S.C. § 7121(d) and is covered by a collective bargaining agreement that permits claims of discrimination to be raised in a negotiated grievance procedure, a person wishing to file a complaint or grievance on a matter of alleged employment discrimination must elect to raise the matter under either part 1614 or the negotiated grievance procedure, but not both. An aggrieved employee who files a grievance with an agency whose negotiated agreement permits the acceptance of grievances which allege discrimination may not thereafter file a complaint on the same matter under this part 1614 irrespective of whether the agency has informed the individual of the need to elect or whether the grievance has raised an issue of discrimination. The Agency properly dismissed the formal complaint for having previously raised this matter in the grievance process. Complainant previously filed a grievance, on the same matter set forth in his EEO complaint, on January 7, 2022, prior to his formal EEO complaint filed in March 2022. We concur with the Agency that Complainant raised the issue of discrimination in his grievance. Complainant, in his January 7, 2022 grievance stated, in pertinent part, that “I really feel discriminated against for reasons of gender identity because my 2020 MSI nomination was rejected not based on my work performance, but simply because I was identified as a man…[this] violates EEO laws and should be addressed immediately.” Furthermore, as set forth above, an aggrieved employee who files a grievance with an agency whose negotiated agreement permits the acceptance of grievances which allege discrimination may not thereafter file a complaint on the same matter under this part 1614 irrespective of whether the agency has informed the individual of the need to elect or whether the grievance has raised an issue of discrimination. Finally, the record contains portions of the relevant grievance process setting forth that employees may raise discrimination claims in the grievance process or through the EEO complaint process, but not both. 2022004957 3 Accordingly, we AFFIRM the Agency’s final decision dismissing the formal complaint. 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. 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). 2022004957 4 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 February 22, 2023 Date