01a54054
08-30-2005
Teresa A. Stuart, Complainant, v. John E. Potter, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service, (Western Area) Agency.
Teresa A. Stuart v. United States Postal Service
01A54054
August 30, 2005
.
Teresa A. Stuart,
Complainant,
v.
John E. Potter,
Postmaster General,
United States Postal Service,
(Western Area)
Agency.
Appeal No. 01A54054
Agency No. 1E-801-0010-04
DISMISSAL OF APPEAL
By Notice of Appeal postmarked May 16, 2005, complainant filed an appeal
with this Commission from the March 23, 2005 final agency decision (FAD)
dismissing her EEO complaint of unlawful employment discrimination.
A copy of the certified mail return receipt card reveals that the FAD was
received at complainant's address of record on March 24, 2005. A review
of the FAD reveals that the agency properly advised complainant that she
had thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of its final decision to file
her appeal with the Commission. Therefore, in order to be considered
timely, complainant had to file her appeal no later than April 25, 2005.
See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.604(d).
Complainant maintains that she has been seriously ill and was hospitalized
twice during the thirty day filing period. She submits a four line note
from her physician stating that she has been very ill and has gone to the
local emergency room several times. See Letter from Complainant to OFO
dated 6/14/05 and attachment. Although we are certainly sympathetic
with complainant's condition, we must abide by our regulations and
precedent on the matter. When a complainant claims that a physical
condition prevented her from meeting a particular filing deadline,
we have held that to justify an untimely filing, complainant must show
she was so incapacitated by the condition as to render her physically
unable to make a timely filing. See Zelmer v. United States Postal
Serv., EEOC Request No. 05890164 (Mar. 8, 1989). We do not find that
the physician's statement or complainant's own statement is sufficient
evidence to show she was in such a state of incapacity and completely
unable to file an appeal within thirty days of receipt of the FAD.
In fact, we note that complainant signed the certified mail return
receipt. Our filing requirement for an appeal is not an onerous one.
Complainant need only submit a one-page notice of appeal, by mail or
facsimile, to perfect a timely appeal. Accordingly, complainant's May
16, 2005 appeal is hereby dismissed. See 29 C.F.R. � 1614.403(c).
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
August 30, 2005
__________________
Date