U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION Office of Federal Operations P.O. Box 77960 Washington, DC 20013 Hannah C.,1 Complainant, v. Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service (Southern Area), Agency. Appeal No. 0120171151 Agency No. 4G-335-0225-16 DECISION Complainant filed a timely appeal with this Commission from the Agency's final decision dated January 12, 2017, dismissing a formal complaint of unlawful employment discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq. BACKGROUND During the period at issue, Complainant worked as a Rural Carrier Associate at the Agency's Lakewood Ranch Post Office facility in Bradenton, Florida, subject to a 90-day probationary period. On September 13, 2016, Complainant initiated EEO Counselor contact. Informal efforts to resolve her concerns were unsuccessful. On December 20, 2016, Complainant filed the instant formal complaint. Complainant alleged that the Agency subjected her to discrimination on the bases of race, age, and in reprisal for prior EEO activity when: on June 3, 2016, she was separated from her postal position during her probationary period. In its January 12, 2017 final decision, the Agency dismissed the formal complaint on the grounds of untimely EEO Counselor contact, pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.107(a)(2). The Agency determined that Complainant's initial EEO Counselor contact was on September 13, 2016, which it found to be beyond the 45-day limitation period. The instant appeal followed. Complainant, on appeal, states "I was unaware that there was a timetable frame after I was terminated, my manager at the time did not state any of this to me, nor she state that I had any rights or procedures as well, she did not inform me of the area NEEOISO-EEO contact and EEOC she told me however that I was not to go to the district manager or higher authority she stated that she runs that branch and that she will be making the final decisions..." ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS EEOC Regulation 29 C.F.R. § 1614.105(a)(1) requires that complaints of discrimination should be brought to the attention of the Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor within forty-five (45) days of the date of the matter alleged to be discriminatory or, in the case of personnel action, within forty-five (45) days of the effective date of the action. The Agency improperly dismissed Complainant's complaint on the grounds of untimely EEO Counselor contact. The alleged discriminatory event occurred on June 3, 2016, and Complainant initiated EEO Counselor contact on September 13, 2016 which was beyond the 45-day limitation period. Specifically, we note that it appears from a review of the record that Complainant, a probationary employee, was not aware of her EEO rights or who she needed to contact to initiate the EEO complaint process. We acknowledge that the record indeed contains a copy of the Acting Supervisor Customer Service's affidavit dated December 23, 2016. Therein, the Acting Supervisor Customer Service stated that during the relevant period that there were EEO posters advising employees of the requisite 45-day time frame to initiate EEO contact posted on the union and Safety boards near the break room, advising employees of the requisite 45-day limitation period to initiate EEO Counselor contact. The Acting Supervisor Customer Service also submitted a copy of the EEO poster in support of his assertions. We note, however, as discussed above, that Complainant asserted that she lacked any awareness of the limitation period, and that she had been instructed that Complainant was "not to go to the district manager or higher authority" ...and that her manager said that she, the manager, is in charge of Complainant's branch and will be "making final decisions." Therefore, despite the display of EEO posters at the work site, we find that in this instance, Complainant has identified a justification for her delay. Specifically, Complainant asserts that she was led to believe that the only avenues of recourse were through her manager and that she was not to pursue matters with a "higher authority." Under these circumstances, we exercise our discretion to excuse Complainant's relatively brief delay in seeking EEO counseling. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.604(c). Therefore, we REVERSE the Agency's final decision dismissing Complainant's formal complaint for untimely EEO Counselor contact, and we REMAND this matter to the Agency for further processing in accordance with the ORDER below. ORDER (E1016) The Agency is ordered to process the remanded claim in accordance with 29 C.F.R. § 1614.108. The Agency shall acknowledge to the Complainant that it has received the remanded claims within thirty (30) calendar days of the date this decision was issued. The Agency shall issue to Complainant a copy of the investigative file and also shall notify Complainant of the appropriate rights within one hundred fifty (150) calendar days of the date this decision was issued, unless the matter is otherwise resolved prior to that time. If the Complainant requests a final decision without a hearing, the Agency shall issue a final decision within sixty (60) days of receipt of Complainant's request. A copy of the Agency's letter of acknowledgment to Complainant and a copy of the notice that transmits the investigative file and notice of rights must be sent to the Compliance Officer as referenced below. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMISSION'S DECISION (K0617) Compliance with the Commission's corrective action is mandatory. The Agency shall submit its compliance report within thirty (30) calendar days of the completion of all ordered corrective action. The report shall be in the digital format required by the Commission, and submitted via the Federal Sector EEO Portal (FedSEP). See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). The Agency's report must contain supporting documentation, and the Agency must send a copy of all submissions to the Complainant. If the Agency does not comply with the Commission's order, the Complainant may petition the Commission for enforcement of the order. 29 C.F.R. § 1614.503(a). The Complainant also has the right to file a civil action to enforce compliance with the Commission's order prior to or following an administrative petition for enforcement. See 29 C.F.R. §§ 1614.407, 1614.408, and 29 C.F.R. § 1614.503(g). Alternatively, the Complainant has the right to file a civil action on the underlying complaint in accordance with the paragraph below entitled "Right to File a Civil Action." 29 C.F.R. §§ 1614.407 and 1614.408. A civil action for enforcement or a civil action on the underlying complaint is subject to the deadline stated in 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16(c) (1994 & Supp. IV 1999). If the Complainant files a civil action, the administrative processing of the complaint, including any petition for enforcement, will be terminated. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.409. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS - ON APPEAL RECONSIDERATION (M0617) 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. A party shall have twenty (20) calendar days of receipt of another party's timely request for reconsideration in which to submit a brief or statement in opposition. See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.405; Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive for 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 (EEO MD-110), at Chap. 9 § VII.B (Aug. 5, 2015). All requests and arguments must be submitted to the Director, Office of Federal Operations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Complainant's request may be submitted via regular mail to P.O. Box 77960, Washington, DC 20013, or by certified mail to 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507. 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 agency's request must be submitted in digital format via the EEOC's Federal Sector EEO Portal (FedSEP). See 29 C.F.R. § 1614.403(g). 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 (R0610) This is a decision requiring the Agency to continue its administrative processing of your complaint. However, if you wish to file a civil action, you have the right to file such action in an appropriate United States District Court within ninety (90) calendar days from the date that you receive this decision. In the alternative, you may file a civil action after one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days of the date you filed your complaint with the Agency, or filed your appeal with the Commission. 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. Filing a civil action will terminate the administrative processing of your complaint. 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 June 22, 2017 __________________ Date 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. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 2 0120171151 5 0120171151