Nathaniel Cooper, Petitioner,v.Paul H. O'Neill, Secretary, Department of the Treasury, Petition No. 03A10030 MSPB No. BN-315H-00-0165-I-1

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionApr 10, 2002
03A10030a (E.E.O.C. Apr. 10, 2002)

03A10030a

04-10-2002

Nathaniel Cooper, Petitioner, v. Paul H. O'Neill, Secretary, Department of the Treasury, Petition No. 03A10030 MSPB No. BN-315H-00-0165-I-1


Nathaniel Cooper v. Department of the Treasury

03A10030

April 10, 2002

.

Nathaniel Cooper,

Petitioner,

v.

Paul H. O'Neill,

Secretary,

Department of the Treasury,

Petition No. 03A10030

MSPB No. BN-315H-00-0165-I-1

DENIAL OF CONSIDERATION

On November 24, 2000, Nathaniel Cooper (hereinafter referred to as

petitioner) filed a petition with the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission (EEOC) asking for review of the Merit Systems Protection

Board's (Board) final decision issued on his case. The Commission

docketed the petition as EEOC Petition No. 03A10030.

The procedural history of this case is as follows: Petitioner filed

an appeal of his termination from the Department of the Treasury

with the Merit Systems Protection Board on June 27, 2000. The MSPB

Administrative Judge (AJ) issued an Order to Show Cause why his appeal

should not be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction but petitioner failed

to submit argument or evidence and the MSPB AJ determined that the

appeal should be dismissed. The MSPB's Decision dated September 22,

2000, dismissed petitioner's case for lack of jurisdiction based

on the fact that petitioner was a probationary employee at the time

his employment was terminated and because he did not show that his

termination was based on marital status or partisan political reasons.

Consequently, because the petitioner failed to demonstrate that he met

jurisdictional prerequisites, the MSPB also declined to consider his

claims of discrimination based on race and age.

Under 29 C.F.R. 1614.302(c)(2)ii, where the MSPB decides that it lacks

jurisdiction, the agency shall recommence processing a mixed case

complaint as a non-mixed case EEO complaint. See Kimble v. Department

of the Army, Petition No. 03980050 (April 16, 1998). Therefore, this

case is administratively closed, and the matter is referred to the agency

for further processing as outline below.

NOTICE TO PARTIES

The agency shall notify petitioner of the right to contact an EEO

counselor within forty-five (45) days of receipt of this decision, and to

file an EEO complaint, subject to 29 C.F.R. 1614. 107. The date on which

petitioner filed the appeal with the MSPB shall be deemed the date of

initial contact with the EEO counselor. Petitioner shall have the right

to file a civil action in an appropriate United States District Court,

based on the decision of the Merit Systems Protection Board, within thirty

(30) calendar days of the date that this decision is received.

COMPLAINANT'S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (R0900)

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 within ninety (90) calendar days from the date

that you receive this decision. 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 (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

April 10, 2002

Date