0120062569
05-24-2007
Derrick McNeal, Complainant, v. Mike Johanns, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Agency.
Derrick McNeal,
Complainant,
v.
Mike Johanns,
Secretary,
Department of Agriculture,
Agency.
Appeal No. 0120062569
DECISION
Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission alleging that the agency
was not in compliance with the terms of the October 2, 2003 settlement
agreement into which the parties entered. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.402;
29 C.F.R. � 1614.504(b); and 29 C.F.R. � 1614.405.
The settlement agreement provided, in pertinent part, that:
(1) Offer complainant the position Area Director, GS-401-13, for the
Plant Protection and Quarantine, Safeguarding, Intervention, and Trade
Compliance program in Conyers, Georgia.
By letter to the agency dated November 3, 2005, complainant alleged that
the agency was in breach of the settlement agreement, and requested that
the agency specifically implement its terms. Specifically, complainant
alleged that the agency reassigned him to Raleigh, NC in February 2005.
In a memorandum dated December 5, 2005, the agency concluded that
it was not in breach of the settlement agreement. The agency noted
that complainant still had the title of Area Director, GS-401-13. The
agency explained that complainant was reassigned because of misconduct
allegations and conflicts between him and his staff. Further complainant
was allowed to telework at his request.
EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. � 1614.504(a) provides that any settlement
agreement knowingly and voluntarily agreed to by the parties, reached at
any stage of the complaint process, shall be binding on both parties.
The Commission has held that a settlement agreement constitutes a
contract between the employee and the agency, to which ordinary rules of
contract construction apply. See Herrington v. Department of Defense,
EEOC Request No. 05960032 (December 9, 1996). The Commission has further
held that it is the intent of the parties as expressed in the contract,
not some unexpressed intention, that controls the contract's construction.
Eggleston v. Department of Veterans Affairs, EEOC Request No. 05900795
(August 23, 1990). In ascertaining the intent of the parties with regard
to the terms of a settlement agreement, the Commission has generally
relied on the plain meaning rule. See Hyon O v. United States Postal
Service, EEOC Request No. 05910787 (December 2, 1991). This rule states
that if the writing appears to be plain and unambiguous on its face,
its meaning must be determined from the four corners of the instrument
without resort to extrinsic evidence of any nature. See Montgomery
Elevator Co. v. Building Eng'g Servs. Co., 730 F.2d 377 (5th Cir. 1984).
In the instant case, complainant was placed in the position in Conyers,
as agreed upon, but was later transferred. The Commission has held
that where an individual bargains for a position without any specific
terms as to the length of service, it would be improper to interpret the
reasonable intentions of the parties to include employment in that exact
position ad infinitum. See Holley v. Department of Veterans Affairs,
EEOC Request No. 05950842 (November 13, 1997); Papac v. Department of
Veterans Affairs, EEOC Request No. 05910808 (December 12, 1991); see
also Parker v. Department of Defense, EEOC Request No. 05910576 (August
30, 1991). In addition, the Commission has held that there is no breach
of a settlement agreement "where an individual has been assigned to a
position pursuant to a settlement agreement, has held the position for a
period of time, and then is excised out of the position because of agency
downsizing that was not anticipated at the time of the agreement." Gish
v. Department of the Army, EEOC Appeal No. 01950923 (August 14, 1995).
In the instant case, circumstances intervened which were unforeseeable
and which required complainant to be detailed to Raleigh, NC. As such,
the Commission does not find that the agency's actions, taken 2 years
later, were in breach of the settlement agreement.1
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 24, 2007
__________________
Date
1 In submissions with his appeal, complainant includes documents
indicating that he has filed 2 EEO complaints with the agency regarding
related matters. They are complaint numbers APHIS-2005-00609 and
APHIS-2005-00771. He raises allegations that the agency is not processing
his complaints. The agency is reminded of its responsibility to timely
process complaints in accordance with 29 C.F.R. � 1614.
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0120062569
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P. O. Box 19848
Washington, D.C. 20036
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0120062569