01984671_r
06-23-1999
Brian D. Leigh, Appellant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.
Brian D. Leigh, )
Appellant, )
)
v. ) Appeal No. 01984671
) Agency No. 4-H-300-0161-98
)
William J. Henderson, )
Postmaster General, )
United States Postal Service, )
Agency. )
)
DECISION
On June 2, 1998, appellant filed a timely appeal of an April 15, 1998
final agency decision, received by him on May 4, 1998, which dismissed his
complaint for failure to state a claim pursuant to 29 C.F.R. 1614.107(a).
EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. �1614.107(a) provides, in relevant part, that an
agency shall dismiss a complaint that fails to state a claim. An agency
shall accept a complaint from any aggrieved employee or applicant for
employment who believes that he or she has been discriminated against by
that agency because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or
disabling condition. 29 C.F.R. �1614.103; �1614.106(a). The Commission's
federal sector case precedent has long defined an "aggrieved employee"
as one who suffers a present harm or loss with respect to a term,
condition, or privilege of employment for which there is a remedy.
Diaz v. Department of the Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April
21, 1994).
Upon review, the Commission finds that the agency's decision was
proper. In his March 15, 1998 complaint, appellant, a customer service
supervisor, alleged that he was discriminated against on the basis of
retaliation when on December 19, 1997, the Postmaster rescinded a letter
of warning that appellant had issued to a carrier. Appellant also
alleged that the action by the Postmaster demonstrated that appellant
had no right to supervise employees and that the action would cause the
employees that he supervised to disregard rules and do as they pleased.
The Commission finds that appellant's complaint is too speculative to
constitute a present harm sufficient to render appellant aggrieved.
Parks v. Department of Defense, EEOC Request No. 05950314 (September 11,
1995). Because there is no present injury to appellant for which there
is a remedy, appellant's complaint fails to state a claim. Moreover,
it appears from the Counselor's Report that the decision to rescind the
letter of warning was the result of a grievance filed by the employee
to whom the letter of warning was issued. To the extent that appellant
is attacking the grievance process, the allegation also fails to state
a claim. It is inappropriate to attempt to use the EEO process to
collaterally attack actions which occurred during the grievance process.
The Commission has consistently held that the EEO process cannot be
used to launch a collateral attack on the grievance process. Kleinman
v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Request No. 05940585 (September 22, 1994);
Lingad v. U.S. Postal Service, EEOC Request No. 05930106 (June 24, 1993).
Consistent with our discussion herein, the agency's final decision
is AFFIRMED.
STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION (M0795)
The Commission may, in its discretion, reconsider the decision in this
case if the appellant or the agency submits a written request containing
arguments or evidence which tend to establish that:
1. New and material evidence is available that was not readily available
when the previous decision was issued; or
2. The previous decision involved an erroneous interpretation of law,
regulation or material fact, or misapplication of established policy; or
3. The decision is of such exceptional nature as to have substantial
precedential implications.
Requests to reconsider, with supporting arguments or evidence, MUST
BE FILED WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive this
decision, or WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive
a timely request to reconsider filed by another party. Any argument in
opposition to the request to reconsider or cross request to reconsider
MUST be submitted to the Commission and to the requesting party
WITHIN TWENTY (20) CALENDAR DAYS of the date you receive the request
to reconsider. See 29 C.F.R. �1614.407. All requests and arguments
must bear proof of postmark and 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 filed on the date it is received
by the Commission.
Failure to file within the time period will result in dismissal of your
request for reconsideration as untimely. If extenuating circumstances
have prevented the timely filing of a request for reconsideration,
a written statement setting forth the circumstances which caused the
delay and 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).
RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (S0993)
It is the position of the Commission that 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.
You should be aware, however, that courts in some jurisdictions have
interpreted the Civil Rights Act of 1991 in a manner suggesting that
a civil action must be filed WITHIN THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS from the
date that you receive this decision. To ensure that your civil action
is considered timely, you are advised to file it WITHIN THIRTY (30)
CALENDAR DAYS from the date that you receive this decision or to consult
an attorney concerning the applicable time period in the jurisdiction
in which your action would be filed. 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 (Z1092)
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:
June 23, 1999
DATE Carlton M. Hadden, Acting Director
Office of Federal Operations