Bonita Sherrell, Complainant,v.Mary E. Peters, Secretary, Department of Transportation, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionFeb 2, 2007
0520051032 (E.E.O.C. Feb. 2, 2007)

0520051032

02-02-2007

Bonita Sherrell, Complainant, v. Mary E. Peters, Secretary, Department of Transportation, Agency.


Bonita Sherrell,

Complainant,

v.

Mary E. Peters,

Secretary,

Department of Transportation,

Agency.

Request No. 05200510321

Appeal No. 07A50045

Hearing No. 100a27232x

Agency No. 2012072

DENIAL

The agency timely requested reconsideration of the decision in Bonita

Sherrell v. Department of Transportation, EEOC Appeal No. 07A50045

(June 2, 2005). EEOC Regulations provide that the Commission may, in its

discretion, grant a request to reconsider any previous Commission decision

where the requesting party demonstrates 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. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(b).

After reconsidering the previous decision and the entire record,

the Commission finds that the request fails to meet the criteria of

29 C.F.R. � 1614.405(b), and it is the decision of the Commission to

deny the request. The decision in EEOC Appeal No. 07A50045 remains the

Commission's final decision. There is no further right of administrative

appeal on the decision of the Commission on this request. The agency

shall comply with the Order as set forth below.

ORDER (C0900)

The agency is ordered to take the following remedial action if it ha

snot already done so:

I. Within thirty (30) days of the date that this decision becomes final,

the agency shall pay complainant $17, 491.47 in attorney's fees and costs

pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.501(e) and the attorney's fees provisions

below.

II. Within thirty (30) days of the date that this decision becomes final,

the agency shall pay complainant $3,000.00 as an award of compensatory

damages; and

III. The agency shall post a copy of the attached notice at its Leesburg,

Virginia facility, as set forth in the Posting Order below.

The agency is further directed to submit a report of compliance, as

provided in the statement entitled "Implementation of the Commission's

Decision." The report shall include supporting documentation verifying

that the corrective action has been implemented.

POSTING ORDER (G0900)

The agency is ordered to post at its Air Route Traffic Control Center,

Leesburg, Virginia facility copies of the attached notice. Copies of the

notice, after being signed by the agency's duly authorized representative,

shall be posted by the agency within thirty (30) calendar days of the

date this decision becomes final, and shall remain posted for sixty (60)

consecutive days, in conspicuous places, including all places where

notices to employees are customarily posted. The agency shall take

reasonable steps to ensure that said notices are not altered, defaced,

or covered by any other material. The original signed notice is to be

submitted to the Compliance Officer at the address cited in the paragraph

entitled "Implementation of the Commission's Decision," within ten (10)

calendar days of the expiration of the posting period.

ATTORNEY'S FEES (H0900)

If complainant has been represented by an attorney (as defined by

29 C.F.R. � 1614.501(e)(1)(iii)), he/she is entitled to an award of

reasonable attorney's fees incurred in the processing of the complaint.

29 C.F.R. � 1614.501(e). The award of attorney's fees shall be paid

by the agency. The attorney shall submit a verified statement of fees

to the agency -- not to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,

Office of Federal Operations -- within thirty (30) calendar days of this

decision becoming final. The agency shall then process the claim for

attorney's fees in accordance with 29 C.F.R. � 1614.501.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K0501)

Compliance with the Commission's corrective action is mandatory.

The agency shall submit its compliance report within thirty (30)

calendar days of the completion of all ordered corrective action. The

report shall be submitted to the Compliance Officer, Office of Federal

Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, P.O. Box 19848,

Washington, D.C. 20036. The agency's report must contain supporting

documentation, and the agency must send a copy of all submissions to

the complainant. If the agency does not comply with the Commission's

order, the complainant may petition the Commission for enforcement

of the order. 29 C.F.R. � 1614.503(a). The complainant also has the

right to file a civil action to enforce compliance with the Commission's

order prior to or following an administrative petition for enforcement.

See 29 C.F.R. �� 1614.407, 1614.408, and 29 C.F.R. � 1614.503(g).

Alternatively, the complainant has the right to file a civil action on

the underlying complaint in accordance with the paragraph below entitled

"Right to File A Civil Action." 29 C.F.R. �� 1614.407 and 1614.408.

A civil action for enforcement or a civil action on the underlying

complaint is subject to the deadline stated in 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16(c)

(1994 & Supp. IV 1999). If the complainant files a civil action, the

administrative processing of the complaint, including any petition for

enforcement, will be terminated. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.409.

COMPLAINANT'S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (P0900)

This decision of the Commission is final, and there is no further right

of administrative appeal from the Commission's decision. 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.

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

February 2, 2007

__________________

Date

1 Due to a new Commission data system, this case has been redesignated

with the above-referenced appeal number.

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2

0520051032

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

Office of Federal Operations

P. O. Box 19848

Washington, D.C. 20036

4

0520051032