Shanta M.,1 Complainant,v.Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Headquarters), Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Nov 18, 2020

2020005012 (E.E.O.C. Nov. 18, 2020)

U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
Office of Federal Operations
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, DC 20013

Shanta M.,1
Complainant,

v.

Louis DeJoy,
Postmaster General,
United States Postal Service
(Headquarters),
Agency.

Request No. 2020005012

Appeal No. 2019005641

Hearing No. 570-2018-00464X

Agency No. 6P-000-0007-17

DECISION ON REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION

Complainant requested that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or
Commission) reconsider its decision in Shanta M v. United States Postal Service, EEOC Appeal
No. 2019005641 (June 24, 2020). EEOC Regulations provide that the Commission may, in its
discretion, grant a request to reconsider any previous Commission decision issued pursuant to 29
C.F.R. § 1614.405(a), where the requesting party demonstrates 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. See 29 C.F.R. §
1614.405(c).

In her underlying complaint, Complainant alleged that the Agency subjected her to a hostile work
environment on the bases of her race, sex, and age when: (1) on or about April 25, 2017, the
manager of operating services (M1) accused her of plagiarizing entries in her pay for performance;
(2) on an unspecified date, M1 told her that “facilities was a man’s world” and that “a woman
should not manage the department”; (3) on unspecified dates, M1 spoke to her in a condescending

1 This case has been randomly assigned a pseudonym which will replace Complainant’s name
when the decision is published to non-parties and the Commission’s website.
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and unprofessional manner; (4) on unspecified dates, M1 discussed her work performance with
other co-workers and asked them to monitor her start time; and (5) on unspecified dates, M1 stated
that he was going to fire her. At the conclusion of the investigation Complainant requested a
hearing before an EEOC Administrative Judge (AJ). The AJ found that, after viewing the evidence
in a light most favorable to Complainant, a decision without a hearing was appropriate as there
were no genuine issues of material fact in dispute. The AJ issued a decision finding no
discrimination and in its final decision, the Agency adopted the AJ’s decision. On appeal, the
Commission affirmed the Agency’s final decision. Specifically, we found that Complainant failed
to show that she was subjected to unlawful harassment.

In her request for reconsideration, Complainant again argues that the AJ erred in issuing a decision
without a hearing. We find, however, that this argument was fully considered, and rejected, on
appeal. Accordingly, after reviewing the previous decision and the entire record, the Commission
finds that the request fails to meet the criteria of 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405(c), and it is the decision of
the Commission to deny the request. The decision in EEOC Appeal No. 2019005641 remains the
Commission's decision. There is no further right of administrative appeal on the decision of the
Commission on this request.

COMPLAINANT’S RIGHT TO FILE A CIVIL ACTION (P0610)

This decision of the Commission is final, and there is no further right of administrative appeal
from the Commission’s decision. 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.

RIGHT TO REQUEST COUNSEL (Z0815)

If you want to file a civil action but cannot pay the fees, costs, or security to do so, you may request
permission from the court to proceed with the civil action without paying these fees or costs.
Similarly, if you cannot afford an attorney to represent you in the civil action, you may request the
court to appoint an attorney for you. You must submit the requests for waiver of court costs or
appointment of an attorney directly to the court, not the Commission. The court has the sole
discretion to grant or deny these types of requests.

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Such requests do not alter the time limits for filing a civil action (please read the paragraph titled
Complainant’s Right to File a Civil Action for the specific time limits).

FOR THE COMMISSION:

______________________________ Carlton M. Hadden’s signature
Carlton M. Hadden, Director
Office of Federal Operations

November 18, 2020
Date