Roger N. Britts, Jr., Complainant,v.R. James Nicholson, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionMay 5, 2006
01a60704 (E.E.O.C. May. 5, 2006)

01a60704

05-05-2006

Roger N. Britts, Jr., Complainant, v. R. James Nicholson, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, Agency.


Roger N. Britts, Jr. v. Department of Veterans Affairs

01A60704

May 5, 2006

.

Roger N. Britts, Jr.,

Complainant,

v.

R. James Nicholson,

Secretary,

Department of Veterans Affairs,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A60704

Agency No. 20005162005100777

DECISION

Complainant initiated an appeal from a final decision, dated September

28, 2005, concerning his 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.

For the following reasons, the Commission AFFIRMS the agency's final

decision.

The record reveals that complainant was an applicant for employment at

the agency's Bay Pines Veterans Administration Medical Center in Bay

Pines, Florida. Complainant sought EEO counseling and subsequently filed

a formal complaint on January 24, 2005, alleging that he was discriminated

against on the bases of race (White), sex (male), and age (57) when:

By letter dated November 15, 2004, complainant learned that he was not

selected for the position of Employee Relations Specialist, GS-201-11

(Target GS-12), under Vacancy Announcement Number VZ197053-SMB.

At the conclusion of the investigation, complainant received a copy of the

report of investigation on July 29, 2005. On appeal, complainant claims

that the report was unaccompanied by any notice or letter that informed

him of his right to request a hearing before an EEOC Administrative Judge

or alternatively, to receive a final decision by the agency. Complainant

claims that he sent a letter of inquiry regarding his hearing rights, to

the EEO investigator from whom he received the report of investigation,

but never received a response.<1> On September 26, 2005, complainant

sent another letter (which was received on September 29, 2005, after the

issuance of the final agency decision at issue herein) inquiring about

his right to a hearing to the agency's Office of Resolution Management.

On appeal, the agency argues that complainant was informed of his

right to request a hearing within 30 days of his receipt of the report

of investigation in the initial information he received when he was

informed that his complaint was accepted for investigation by letter dated

March 17, 2005. In addition, the agency asserts that on July 25, 2005,

complainant was sent the notice of his right to request a hearing along

with a copy of the report of investigation, which complainant received

on July 29, 2005. When the agency did not receive any response from

complainant regarding his desire to request a hearing, the agency issued

its final decision, finding no discrimination on September 28, 2005.

In its final decision, the agency found that complainant's application,

along with the certificate of eligibility and all of the application

packages for applicants found to be qualified and received under the

external vacancy announcement, were returned to the Delegated Examining

Unit (DEU) by the selecting official. The record reveals that no

selection was made from that certificate and the agency re-advertised

the position as a merit promotion opportunity to internal candidates.

The agency found that complainant did not apply as an internal candidate,

and a selection was made from among the internal candidates.

We find that the record shows that complainant received a certified

mail delivery from the agency on July 29, 2005. The signed certified

mail receipt is attached to a copy of a letter noting that a copy of

the report of investigation is being provided and advising complainant

of his right to request a hearing within 30-calendar days of receipt.

We find that the record supports a determination that complainant was

properly advised of his right to request a hearing. Therefore, we find

that no hearing request was timely made.

We find that neither party denies that complainant applied and that

his application was accepted under the DEU announcement. Similarly,

we find that neither party argues that any selection was made from the

certificate forwarded by the DEU. Accordingly, we find that the agency

correctly found that complainant did not show that more likely than

not that discrimination motivated the agency's decision not to select

complainant for the position. In fact, no one was selected from the

announcement under which complainant applied. Furthermore, there is

no indication that the decision to cancel the announcement under which

complainant applied was motivated by discrimination.

We therefore AFFIRM the agency's final decision, finding no

discrimination.

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

May 5, 2006

__________________

Date

1This letter that he claimed to have sent during the last week in August

2005, is not in the record.