Opinion

Susan Adelizzio-Lasker v. Department of Homeland Security

Court: Merit Systems Protection Board
Filed: Jan 23, 2023
Status: Unpublished
Cited by: 0 cases
Authority: More cited than 22.6%

stating that the Board generally lacks jurisdi ction over adverse actions when the appellant has waived his appeal rights in an LCA

How later courts described this case

stating that the Board generally lacks jurisdi ction over adverse actions when the appellant has waived his appeal rights in an LCA

Written by the judges who cited it.

The opinion

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD

SUSAN M. ADELIZZIO-LASKER, DOCKET NUMBER

Appellant, NY-3443-16-0301-I-1

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND DATE: January 23, 2023

SECURITY,

Agency.

THIS FINAL ORDER IS NONPRECEDENTIAL 1

Susan M. Adelizzio-Lasker, Newfane, New York, pro se.

Matthew C. Landreth, Buffalo, New York, for the agency.

BEFORE

Cathy A. Harris, Vice Chairman

Raymond A. Limon, Member

Tristan L. Leavitt, Member

FINAL ORDER

¶1 The appellant has filed a petition for review of the initial decision, which

dismissed her appeal for lack of jurisdiction. Generally, we grant petitions such

as this one only in the following circumstances: the initial decision contains

erroneous findings of material fact; the initial decision is based on an erroneous

A nonprecedential order is one that the Board has determined does not add

significantly to the body of MSPB case law. Parties may cite nonprecedential orders,

but such orders have no precedential value; the Board and administrative judges are not

required to follow or distinguish them in any future decisions. In contrast, a

precedential decision issued as an Opinion and Order has been identified by the Board

as significantly contributing to the Board’s case law. See 5 C.F.R. § 1201.117(c).

interpretation of statute or regulation or the erroneous application of the law to

the facts of the case; the administrative judge’s rulings during either the course of

the appeal or the initial decision were not consistent with required procedures or

involved an abuse of discretion, and the resulting error affected the outcome of

the case; or new and material evidence or legal argument is available that, despite

the petitioner’s due diligence, was not available when the record closed. Title 5

of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 1201.115 ( 5 C.F.R. § 1201.115).

After fully considering the filings in this appeal, we conclude that the petitioner

has not established any basis under section 1201.115 for granting the petition for

review. Therefore, we DENY the petition for review and AFFIRM the initial

decision, which is now the Board’s final decision. 5 C.F.R. § 1201.113(b).

BACKGROUND

¶2 On September 28, 2012, the agency proposed removing the appellant from

her GS-11 Entry Specialist position with the agency’s Office of Customs and

Border Protection (CBP) in Buffalo, New York, based on four charges of

misconduct. Initial Appeal File (IAF), Tab 14 at 84-92. The appellant and her

representative responded orally to the notice of proposed removal o n February 7,

2013. Id. at 96-102. During the oral reply, the appellant’s representative asked

the deciding official to consider demoting the appellant to her previous position

under a last chance agreement (LCA) in lieu of removal. Id. at 107-09, 118-20.

¶3 After considering the oral reply and the record evidence , the deciding

official issued a decision letter dated August 23, 2013, sustaining three of the

charges and the penalty of removal. Id. at 124-27. The removal was never

effected, however. Instead, on September 11, 2013, the appellant and the agency

entered into an LCA, in which the appellant agreed to a demotion to a GS -7 CBP

Technician position in exchange for the agency’s agreement to hold the removal

in abeyance. Id. at 129-31. The appellant’s demotion became effective on

September 22, 2013. Id. at 133. On August 23, 2014, the appellant separated

from the agency under a disability retirement. Id. at 135.

¶4 On September 3, 2016, the appellant filed a Board appeal and requested a

hearing. IAF, Tab 1 at 2. The appellant alleged that the agency provided the

Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) erroneous information

about her pay grade and the date of the onset of her disability, and that, as a

result, the amount of her disability compensation benefits was less than it should

be. Id. at 6. More specifically, the appellant claimed that her disability

compensation benefits should have been based on her GS-11 pay rate instead of

her GS-7 pay rate. Id.

¶5 The administrative judge issued an order notifying the appellant of her

jurisdictional burden and explaining that an employing agency’s submission of

erroneous information to OWCP is not appealable to the Board . IAF, Tab 9 at 1;

see Mavronikolas v. U.S. Postal Service, 39 M.S.P.R. 442, 445 (1989). The

administrative judge directed the appellant to show that the Board has jurisdiction

over her appeal. IAF, Tab 9 at 2.

¶6 In response, the appellant alleged that the agency demoted her based on her

uniformed service and, therefore, the Board has jurisdiction over this appeal

pursuant to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act

of 1994 (codified as amended at 38 U.S.C. §§ 4301-4335) (USERRA). 2 IAF,

Tab 12 at 4-5. The administrative judge explained that the term “uniformed

service” in USERRA refers to military service, not the wearing of a uniform

while one is performing duties in a civilian position . IAF, Tab 17 at 1-2. The

USERRA provides, in relevant part, that a person who has performed service in a

unformed service “shall not be denied . . . retention in employment . . . on the basis of”

that performance of service. 38 U.S.C. § 4311(a). To establish the Board’s jurisdiction

over a USERRA discrimination claim arising under 38 U.S.C. § 4311(a), an appellant

must allege, inter alia, that she performed duty or has an obligation to perform duty in a

uniformed service of the United States. Wilson v. Department of the Army,

111 M.S.P.R. 54, ¶ 8 (2009).

administrative judge found that USERRA does not appear to apply in this appeal

because the record indicates that the appellant has not performed military service .

Id. at 2; see McAfee v. Social Security Administration, 88 M.S.P.R. 4, ¶ 12 (2001)

(stating that under USERRA, the Board has jurisdiction over the appeal of any

person alleging discrimination in Federal employment on account of prior

military service). The administrative judge provided the appellant another

opportunity to prove jurisdiction. IAF, Tab 17 at 2.

¶7 In response, the appellant asserted that the Board has jurisdiction over this

appeal as an individual right of action (IRA) appeal pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 1221

because the agency retaliated against her for filing a formal whistleblowing

complaint and a “congressional” disclosing dishonest and illegal activities at the

CBP Port Office in Buffalo, New York. IAF, Tab 18 at 4, 7. The administrative

judge explained that the Board has jurisdiction over an IRA appeal if, inter alia,

the appellant exhausts her administrative remedies with the Office of Special

Counsel (OSC). IAF, Tab 19 at 1. The administrative judge found that this

requirement was not met here because the appellant did not first file a complaint

with OSC. Id. at 2. In that regard, the administrative judge noted that, when the

appellant filed her appeal, she indicated on her appeal form that she had not filed

a whistleblowing complaint with OSC. Id.; IAF, Tab 1 at 4. The administrative

judge provided the appellant another opportunity to address the jurisdictional

issue. IAF, Tab 19 at 1.

¶8 The appellant submitted several documents in response to the order;

however, none of those documents addressed the jurisdictional issue. IAF,

Tab 20.

¶9 Without holding the requested hearing, the administrative judge issued an

initial decision that dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdic tion. IAF, Tab 25,

Initial Decision (ID) at 1, 5. For the reasons discussed above, the administrative

judge found that the Board does not have jurisdiction over this matter as either a

USERRA appeal or an IRA appeal, and that, even if the agency submitted

erroneous information to OWCP, the Board is not authorized to provide a remedy.

ID at 5.

¶10 The appellant has filed a petition for review and supplements to the

petition. Petition for Review (PFR) File, Tabs 1-3. The agency has filed a

response in opposition to the petition. 3 PFR File, Tab 5.

ANALYSIS

The Board need not consider the documents the appellant submits on review .

¶11 The appellant submits numerous documents on review. PFR File, Tab 1

at 9-22, Tab 3 at 4-43. The Board generally will not consider evidence submitted

for the first time with a petition for review absent a showing that it was

unavailable before the record closed despite due diligence. Avansino v. U.S.

Postal Service, 3 M.S.P.R. 211, 214 (1980). The Board will not grant a petition

for review based on new evidence absent a showing that it is of sufficient weight

to warrant an outcome different from that of the initial decision. Russo v.

Veterans Administration, 3 M.S.P.R. 345, 349 (1980). To constitute new and

material evidence, the information contained in the documents, not just the

documents themselves, must have been unavailable despite due diligence when

the record closed. Grassell v. Department of Transportation, 40 M.S.P.R. 554,

564 (1989).

¶12 All of the documents that the appellant submits on review are either undated

or significantly predate the close of the record, and the appellant h as made no

showing that any of those documents were unavailable before the close of the

record despite her due diligence. Therefore, the Board need not consider any of

the documents that the appellant submits on review. Avansino, 3 M.S.P.R. at 214.

In its response, the agency reiterates its argument from below that, even if the Board

has jurisdiction over this appeal, the appeal was not ti mely filed. PFR File, Tab 5 at 9

n.1; IAF, Tab 24 at 9 n.2. Because the Board does not have jurisdiction over this

appeal, we need not address the timeliness issue. See Tardio v. Department of Justice,

112 M.S.P.R. 371, ¶ 30 (2009), abrogated on other grounds by Bean v. U.S. Postal

Service, 120 M.S.P.R. 397 (2013).

The Board need not consider the appellant’s new claim on review.

¶13 The appellant does not challenge, and we discern no reason to disturb, the

administrative judge’s explained finding that the Board does not have jurisdiction

over her appeal as either a USERRA appeal or an IRA appeal. See generally PFR

File, Tab 1; ID at 5. Instead, for the first time on review, the appellant argues the

merits of the charges upon which her removal was based and contends that an

analysis of the factors set forth in Douglas v. Veterans Administration,

5 M.S.P.R. 280, 306 (1981), demonstrates that she should not have been removed

or demoted. PFR File, Tab 1 at 4-7.

¶14 The Board will not consider an argument raised for the first time in a

petition for review absent a showing that it is based on new and material evidence

not previously available despite the party’s due diligence. Banks v. Department

of the Air Force, 4 M.S.P.R. 268, 271 (1980). The appellant has made no such

showing. Although the appellant contends on review that she “just learned” about

the Douglas factors, PFR File, Tab 1 at 4, the record demonstrates otherwise.

The appellant previously was notified of the Douglas factors in an August 2, 2011

decision letter sustaining her 14-day suspension for misconduct. IAF, Tab 14

at 80-81. Moreover, the appellant’s representative repeatedly cited the Douglas

factors during the appellant’s oral reply to her proposed removal. Id. at 101, 104,

106. Accordingly, we do not consider the appellant’s new argument on review 4

and we find that the administrative judge properly dismissed this appeal for lack

of jurisdiction.

If the appellant wishes to pursue her claim that she should not have been removed or

demoted, she may file a new appeal of those actions with the Board’s regional or field

office. The appellant, though, will be responsible for establishing jurisdiction over any

such appeal and for showing either that the appeal is timely filed or that there is good

cause for any delay. See Link v. Department of the Treasury, 51 F.3d 1577, 1581 (Fed.

Cir. 1995) (stating that the Board generally lacks jurisdi ction over adverse actions when

the appellant has waived his appeal rights in an LCA); 5 C.F.R. § 1201.22(b)-(c)

(regulatory timeliness requirements for Board appeals).

NOTICE OF APPEAL RIGHTS 5

You may obtain review of this final decision. 5 U.S.C. § 7703(a)(1). By

statute, the nature of your claims determines the time limit for seeking such

review and the appropriate forum with which to file. 5 U.S.C. § 7703(b).

Although we offer the following summary of available appea l rights, the Merit

Systems Protection Board does not provide legal advice on which option is most

appropriate for your situation and the rights described below do not represent a

statement of how courts will rule regarding which cases fall within their

jurisdiction. If you wish to seek review of this final decision, you should

immediately review the law applicable to your claims and carefully follow all

filing time limits and requirements. Failure to file within the applicable time

limit may result in the dismissal of your case by your chosen forum.

Please read carefully each of the three main possible choices of review

below to decide which one applies to your particular case. If you have questions

about whether a particular forum is the appropriate one to review your case, you

should contact that forum for more information.

(1) Judicial review in general. As a general rule, an appellant seeking

judicial review of a final Board order must file a petition for review with the U.S.

Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which must be received by the court

within 60 calendar days of the date of issuance of this decision. 5 U.S.C.

§ 7703(b)(1)(A).

If you submit a petition for review to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the

Federal Circuit, you must submit your petition to the court at the

following address:

Since the issuance of the initial decision in this matter, the Board may have updated

the notice of review rights included in final decisions. As indicated in the notice, the

Board cannot advise which option is most appropriate in any matter.

U.S. Court of Appeals

for the Federal Circuit

717 Madison Place, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20439

Additional information about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal

Circuit is available at the court’s website, www.cafc.uscourts.gov. Of particular

relevance is the court’s “Guide for Pro Se Petitioners and Appellants,” which is

contained within the court’s Rules of Practice, and Forms 5, 6, 10, and 11.

If you are interested in securing pro bono representation for an appeal to

the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, you may visit our website at

http://www.mspb.gov/probono for information regarding pro bono representation

for Merit Systems Protection Board appellants before the Federal Circuit. The

Board neither endorses the services provided by any attorney nor warrants that

any attorney will accept representation in a given case.

(2) Judicial or EEOC review of cases involving a claim of

discrimination. This option applies to you only if you have claimed that you

were affected by an action that is appealable to the Board and that such action

was based, in whole or in part, on unlawful discrimination. If so, you may obtain

judicial review of this decision—including a disposition of your discrimination

claims—by filing a civil action with an appropriate U.S. district court ( not the

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit), within 30 calendar days after you

receive this decision. 5 U.S.C. § 7703(b)(2); see Perry v. Merit Systems

Protection Board, 582 U.S. ____ , 137 S. Ct. 1975 (2017). If you have a

representative in this case, and your representative receives this decision before

you do, then you must file with the district court no later than 30 calendar days

after your representative receives this decision. If the action involves a claim of

discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or a disabling

condition, you may be entitled to representation by a court-appointed lawyer and

to waiver of any requirement of prepayment of fees, costs, or other security. See

42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f) and 29 U.S.C. § 794a.

Contact information for U.S. district courts can be found at their respective

websites, which can be accessed through the link below:

http://www.uscourts.gov/Court_Locator/CourtWebsites.aspx.

Alternatively, you may request review by the Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of your discrimination claims only, excluding

all other issues. 5 U.S.C. § 7702(b)(1). You must file any such request with the

EEOC’s Office of Federal Operations within 30 calendar days after you receive

this decision. 5 U.S.C. § 7702(b)(1). If you have a representative in this case,

and your representative receives this decision before you do, then you must file

with the EEOC no later than 30 calendar days after your representative receives

this decision.

If you submit a request for review to the EEOC by regular U.S. mail, the

address of the EEOC is:

Office of Federal Operations

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

P.O. Box 77960

Washington, D.C. 20013

If you submit a request for review to the EEOC via commercial delivery or

by a method requiring a signature, it must be addressed to:

Office of Federal Operations

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

131 M Street, N.E.

Suite 5SW12G

Washington, D.C. 20507

(3) Judicial review pursuant to the Whistleblower Protection

Enhancement Act of 2012. This option applies to you only if you have raised

claims of reprisal for whistleblowing disclosures under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8) or

other protected activities listed in 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(9)(A)(i), (B), (C), or (D).

If so, and your judicial petition for review “raises no challenge to the Boar d’s

disposition of allegations of a prohibited personnel practice described in section

2302(b) other than practices described in section 2302(b)(8), or 2302(b)(9)(A)(i),

(B), (C), or (D),” then you may file a petition for judicial review either with the

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or any court of appeals of

competent jurisdiction. 6 The court of appeals must receive your petition for

review within 60 days of the date of issuance of this decision. 5 U.S.C.

§ 7703(b)(1)(B).

If you submit a petition for judicial review to the U.S. Court of Appeals for

the Federal Circuit, you must submit your petition to the court at the