Rodrigo G. Ancheta, Complainant,v.John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionJul 8, 2004
01A42624 (E.E.O.C. Jul. 8, 2004)

01A42624

07-08-2004

Rodrigo G. Ancheta, Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.


Rodrigo G. Ancheta v. United States Postal Service

01A42624

July 8, 2004

.

Rodrigo G. Ancheta,

Complainant,

v.

John E. Potter,

Postmaster General,

United States Postal Service,

Agency.

Appeal No. 01A42624

Agency No. 4F-945-1267-95

Hearing No. 370-96-X2473

DISMISSAL OF APPEAL

Complainant filed an appeal with this Commission on March 11, 2004

regarding a March 28, 1997 final agency decision in Agency Case

No. 4F-945-1267-95. The agency notes that complainant filed his

formal complaint on November 6, 1995, alleging that he was subjected to

discrimination on the bases of race and national origin when:

Since April 1995, he has allegedly been subjected to demeaning,

inaccurate comments; monitoring of work and breaks; false statements

on route inspection; inaccurate count of mail; being laughed at and

threatened with being fired;

On August 9, 1995, and exacerbated on August 17, 1995, he was forced

by Supervisor A to carry so much on his back that he seriously injured

himself; and

On August 17, 1995, when he told management of his back pain, Person

B insulted him again.

In a March 28, 1997 agency decision, the agency adopted the January 29,

1997 decision of an EEOC Administrative Judge finding no discrimination.

On June 30, 1997, complainant filed Civil Action No. CIV. S 97-1199

FCD PAN in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of

California regarding the instant complaint. The record discloses that

judgment was entered in CIV. S 97-1199 FCD PAN on January 22, 2001.

The District Court granted the agency's motion for summary judgment

regarding complainant's hostile work environment, disparate treatment,

and disparate impact claims. The District Court also agreed with the

agency that complainant had failed to exhaust his administrative remedies

regarding claims under the Rehabilitation Act, noting that complainant

alleged only race and national origin discrimination in his complaint

filed with the agency.<1> Accordingly, the District Court dismissed

complainant's disability discrimination claims. Complainant did not

prevail in his appeal of CIV. S 97-1199 FCD PAN to the United States

Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (No. 01-15378). On April 16,

2002, complainant's petition to the Ninth Circuit Court for a panel

rehearing and for a rehearing en banc was also denied.

Upon review, the Commission finds complainant's appeal is untimely.

The agency's March 28, 1997 decision informed complainant that he had

30 calendar days to file an appeal with the Commission. Complainant

acknowledges that he received the agency's March 1997 decision on March

31, 1997. Complainant elected to file a civil action and did not file

an appeal with the Commission until March 11, 2004, which is beyond the

30-day time deadline.

Complainant's appeal is hereby DISMISSED.

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

July 8, 2004

__________________

Date

1There is nothing in the record indicating that

complainant filed a complaint with the agency regarding his disability

claims.