2020001909•EEOC Appeal 2020001909
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U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION Office of Federal Operations P.O. Box 77960 Washington, DC 20013 Anna D., 1 Complainant, v. Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Capital Metro Area), Agency. Request No. 2020001909 Appeal No. 2019001531 Hearing No. 430-2016-00207X Agency No. 1K-23-10070-15 DECISION ON REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION Complainant timely requested that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) reconsider its decision in Anna D. v. U.S. Postal Serv., EEOC Appeal No. 2019001531 (Nov. 8, 2019). 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). Complainant, a Mail Handler at the Agency's Richmond, Virginia Processing and Distribution Center, filed an EEO complaint in which she claimed that the Agency discriminated against her on the bases of race (African-American), sex (female), disability, age (over 40), and in reprisal for prior EEO activity when: 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.
2020001909 2 1. On May 7, 2015, she was subjected to a Pre-Disciplinary Interview; 2. On May 7, 2015, and other dates, she was subjected to observation by her supervisor on the workroom floor; 3. On May 27, 2015, she was assigned to a work area that she believed to be unsafe; 4. On May 30, 2015, her supervisor instructed a co-worker not to speak with her; 5. On an unspecified date, she was issued a Letter of Warning; and 6. On an unspecified date, the lock was removed that secured the chair she used to perform her duties. Following an investigation, Complainant requested a hearing before an EEOC Administrative Judge (AJ). The AJ assigned to the matter issued a summary judgment decision in the Agency’s favor finding no discrimination or reprisal. The Agency thereupon issued its final order fully implementing the AJ’s decision, and following Complainant’s appeal, the Commission affirmed. In our appellate decision, we found that the officials named in the complaint had articulated legitimate and non-discriminatory reasons for each of the incidents at issue, and that Complainant had not presented evidence sufficient to raise a genuine issue of material fact as to whether any of those officials were motivated by an unlawful discriminatory or retaliatory animus. The Commission emphasizes that a request for reconsideration is not a second appeal. Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110), at 9-18 (Aug. 5, 2015); see, e.g., Lopez v. Dep’t of Agric., EEOC Request No. 0520070736 (Aug. 20, 2007). Rather, a reconsideration request is an opportunity to demonstrate that the appellate decision involved a clearly erroneous interpretation of material fact or law, or will have a substantial impact on the policies, practices, or operations of the Agency. Complainant has not done so here. She has not presented any argument or evidence tending to establish the existence of either reconsideration criterion. While she frames her arguments in terms of those criteria, she is merely attempting to relitigate her appeal on the merits, raising contentions very similar to those that we considered and rejected in our previous decision. 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. 2019001531 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.
2020001909 3 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. 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 September 2, 2020 Date
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