Gloria J. Svoboda, Appellant,v.Daniel R. Glickman, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionApr 8, 1999
01986144 (E.E.O.C. Apr. 8, 1999)

01986144

04-08-1999

Gloria J. Svoboda, Appellant, v. Daniel R. Glickman, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Agency.


Gloria J. Svoboda v. Department of Agriculture

01986144

April 8, 1999

Gloria J. Svoboda, )

Appellant, )

)

v. ) Appeal No. 01986144

) Agency No. 980435

Daniel R. Glickman, )

Secretary, )

Department of Agriculture, )

Agency. )

_________________________________)

DECISION

Appellant filed the instant appeal from the agency's June 15, 1998

decision dismissing appellant's complaint alleging termination as a

temporary Forestry Technician (and denial of rehire eligibility rights)

on October 3, 1997 for failure to timely contact an EEO Counselor.

EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. �1614.105(a)(1) provides that an aggrieved

person must contact an EEO Counselor within 45 days of the matter alleged

to be discriminatory. The 45 day time limit shall be extended when

the individual shows that she was not notified of the time limits

and was not otherwise aware of them or that she did not know and

reasonably should not have known that the discriminatory matter occurred.

29 C.F.R. �1614.105(a)(2). The agency found, and the EEO Counselor Report

shows, that appellant initially requested EEO counseling on January 26,

1998.

Appellant argues that she was unaware of the time limits for contacting

an EEO Counselor until a conversation she had on January 26, 1998 with

the California Chapter President of the Coalition of Minority Employees.

It is the Commission's policy that constructive knowledge will be imputed

to an employee when an employer has fulfilled its obligations under

Title VII. Thompson v. Department of the Army, EEOC Request No. 05910474

(Sept. 12, 1991) (citing Kale v. Combined Ins. Co. of America, 861

F.2d 746 (1st Cir. 1988)). The Commission has held that information

in an EEO Counselor's report regarding posting of EEO information

was inadequate to support application of a constructive notice rule.

Pride v. United States Postal Serv., EEOC Request No. 05930134 (Aug. 19,

1993) (citation omitted). The Commission found in Pride that the agency

had merely made a generalized affirmation that it posted EEO information.

Id. The Commission found that it could not conclude that appellant's

contact of an EEO Counselor was untimely without specific evidence that

the poster contained notice of the time limit. Id.

In the instant matter the agency found in the decision that appellant

had constructive notice of the time limit for contacting an EEO Counselor

because: (1) the agency issues an EEO policy statement to all employees;

(2) information with the time limit is displayed on all official bulletin

boards; (3) EEOC counselor posters are displayed at every work site;

and (4) appellant received EEO related training on June 22, 1995.

Appellant specifically disputes the agency's contentions regarding

constructive notice.

The agency has not placed any evidence in the record to support its

findings of constructive notice. There is no copy of the EEO policy

statement in the record and there is no evidence in the record showing the

policy statement was provided to appellant. The agency has not supplied a

copy of any EEO poster(s) or an affidavit describing the location of the

poster(s) during the relevant time period. The agency has not supplied

a copy of a list of attendees for the June 22, 1995 training or evidence

showing that the time limit for contacting an EEO Counselor was discussed

in the training. Therefore, we can not find that appellant had actual or

constructive notice of the time limits for contacting an EEO Counselor.

The Commission shall remand the complaint to the agency so that it may

supplement the record with evidence showing whether appellant had actual

or constructive notice of the time limit for contacting an EEO Counselor

more than 45 days before she contacted an EEO Counselor.

The agency's decision dismissing the complaint is VACATED and we REMAND

the complaint to the agency for further processing in accordance with

this decision and applicable regulations.

ORDER

The agency shall investigate the issue of whether appellant had actual

or constructive knowledge of the time limit for contacting an EEO

Counselor more than 45 days before she contacted an EEO Counselor.

The agency shall supplement the record with copies of the EEO posters

(or affidavits describing the posters if the posters are unavailable)

and any other evidence showing that appellant was informed, or should

have known, of the time limits for contacting an EEO Counselor.

The agency shall redetermine whether appellant timely contacted an EEO

Counselor. Within 60 days of the date this decision becomes final the

agency shall either issue a letter to appellant accepting the complaint

for investigation or issue a new decision dismissing the complaint.

A copy of the letter accepting the complaint or new decision dismissing

the complaint must be sent to the Compliance Officer as referenced

herein.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K0595)

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

order, the appellant may petition the Commission for enforcement of

the order. 29 C.F.R. �1614.503 (a). The appellant 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. �� 1614.408, 1614.409, and 1614.503 (g). Alternatively,

the appellant 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. �� 1614.408 and 1614.409. 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� (Supp. V 1993).

If the appellant files a civil action, the administrative processing of

the complaint, including any petition for enforcement, will be terminated.

See 29 C.F.R. �1614.410.

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 (R0993)

This is a decision requiring the agency to continue its administrative

processing of your complaint. However, if you wish to file a civil

action, you have the right to file such action in an appropriate United

States District Court. 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. In the alternative,

you may file a civil action AFTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY (180) CALENDAR

DAYS of the date you filed your complaint with the agency, or filed your

appeal with the Commission. 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.

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:

April 8, 1999

DATE Ronnie Blumenthal, Director

Office of Federal Operations