01995955
11-24-2000
Stacy Y. Scott, Complainant, v. William J. Henderson, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, Agency.
Stacy Y. Scott v. United States Postal Service
01995955
November 24, 2000
.
Stacy Y. Scott<1>,
Complainant,
v.
William J. Henderson,
Postmaster General,
United States Postal Service,
Agency.
Appeal No. 01995955
Agency No. 4-E-840-0044-99
DECISION
Upon review, the Commission finds that the complaint was properly
dismissed pursuant to 29 C.F.R. � 1614.107(a)(1).<2>
EEOC Regulations provide that an agency shall accept a complaint from
any aggrieved employee or applicant for employment who believes that he
or she has been discriminated against by that agency because of race,
color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disabling condition.
29 C.F.R. �� 1614.103, .106(a). The Commission's federal sector case
precedent has long defined an "aggrieved employee" as one who suffers
a present harm or loss with respect to a term, condition, or privilege
of employment for which there is a remedy. Diaz v. Department of the
Air Force, EEOC Request No. 05931049 (April 22, 1994).
The record reflects that the matters contained in claims (1), (2),
(3), (4), and (6) of the instant complaint, relate to the processing of
Complainant's Office of Workers' Compensation (OWCP) claim. These claims
relate to the agency's purported controversion of her OWCP claim, and the
agency's purported false statements relating to the OWCP claim. An attack
of the merits of an OWCP claim, or of the agency's action in representing
its interests in the OWCP forum, even by the submission of allegedly
false information, does not state a claim. See Pirozi v. Department of
the Navy, EEOC Request No. 05970146 (October 23, 1998); Ward v. USPS,
EEOC Request NO. 05980036 (March 19, 1998). Accordingly, the dismissal
of claims (1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) was proper and is AFFIRMED.
A review of the record shows that the issue raised in claim (5) (relating
to purported disciplinary action taken against complainant in February
1999) was raised by complainant in a separate complaint. Specifically,
the record reflects that in Agency Case No. 4-E-840-0042-99, which
the agency accepted for investigation on June 16, 1999, complainant
raised the same matter that is the subject of claim (5). Accordingly,
the dismissal of claim (5) was proper and is AFFIRMED.
STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL
RECONSIDERATION (M0900)
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
November 24, 2000
__________________
Date
1 By letter dated August 24, 1999, complainant informed the Commission
that her surname has changed from �Townsend� to �Scott.�
2On November 9, 1999, revised regulations governing the EEOC's federal
sector complaint process went into effect. These regulations apply
to all federal sector EEO complaints pending at any stage in the
administrative process. Consequently, the Commission will apply
the revised regulations found at 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 in deciding the
present appeal. The regulations, as amended, may also be found at the
Commission's website at www.eeoc.gov.