Mixed Case Complaints and Appeals

• See 29 C.F.R. Section 1614.302, Mixed case complaints (2010); 5 U.S.C. Section 7702; 5 C.F.R. Part 1201, Subpart E, Procedures for Cases Involving Allegations of Discrimination (2011).

Cases involving termination (or constructive discharge) as result of discrimination are called "mixed cases" because EEOC usually handles discrimination cases (but not cases involving termination or constructive discharge); and because MSPB has jurisdiction over all termination cases with or without discrimination claims.  It is called "mixed" because the two agencies (EEOC and MSPB) can both handle such cases, although generally "mixed cases" are appealable to MSPB and not to EEOC.  MSPB's decision on a  "mixed case" can be appeal to EEOC's Office of Federal Operations (OFO) only on the issues of discrimination.  

➤ If a person files a complaint on removal issue with EEO office, the Agency must inform him or her:

of the right to file either a mixed case complaint with the agency [EEO office] or to file a mixed case appeal with the MSPB, [... and] that he or she may not initially file both a mixed case complaint [to EEO office] and an appeal [to MSPB] on the same matter and that whichever is filed first shall be considered an election to proceed in that forum. 29 C.F.R. Section 1614.302(b) (bold added).

However, if you filed an EEO on removal or suspension of 15 days or more (or on issues such as layoff or demotion that MSPB has jurisdiction), you may still file MSPB appeal within 30 days after receipt of the Agency resolution or final agency decision on the complaint; or alternatively you may file an appeal with MSPB at any time after the expiration of 120 calendar days if the agency has not resolved the matter or issued a final agency decision within the 120-day period on your EEO complaint.  See 5 C.F.R. Section 1201.154(b).

In other words, you can file a MSPB appeal within 30 days of receipt of Final Agency Decision on your EEO claim on removal, or after 120 days from your formal EEO complaint on removal (if no Report of Investigation is issued after 120 days of your formal EEO complaint).

• Normal federal EEO process involves: informal complaint, formal complaint, issuance of Report of Investigation with option to request EEOC hearing or to request Final Agency Decision; EEOC hearing and/or Final Agency Decision. 

➤ A complex scenario:  

Let us suppose that a federal employee was reprimanded, denied promotion, and harassed based on his sex or age or disability, etc.; and he filed an EEO claim alleging such discrimination.  After he filed, he was terminated in retaliation. The case becomes a "mixed" case.  Now, (Option 1) he can file the termination issue with MSPB, while keeping the other (old) issues with EEO intact.  Or, (Option 2) he can combine all issues into one by asserting an affirmative defense in his MSPB appeal, stating that he was discriminated and retaliated against when he was terminated (in addition to asserting) that he was terminated without just ground in violation of Douglas Factors; and then further assert that he was reprimanded, denied promotion, and harassed based on sex, age, and disability, etc.  In other words, in the affirmative defense in MSPB appeal, he can assert discrimination on all other issues he previously filed with EEO as well as allege violation of Douglas Factors with respect to removal. This way all issues would be combined into one MSPB appeal case. Or, (Option 3, which is the best) he can separate the issues into two: one with EEO/EEOC hearing (for all issues other than removal) and another for MSPB (for removal only).  In this scenario, he should only appeal removal to MSPB without raising other issues such as reprimand and denied promotion, etc. He may still assert discrimination as the underlying motive of removal as well as Douglas Factors violations.

MSPB decisions involving discrimination claims (or mixed case claims) can be appealed to OFO only on the discrimination component, not on the Douglas Factor violations over which MSPB normally has jurisdiction (in non-mixed cases). Agency's EEO process or EEOC (in the hearing) does not deal with the Douglas Factors violations, unless you claim that the Douglas Factors are violated based on your race, sex, age, disability, etc. (which amounts to claiming discrimination in the first place).

➤ Another complex scenario:

Let us suppose that a federal employee was terminated and she filed an EEO discrimination claim, instead of appealing it to MSPB, and for some odd reasons (such as she already had some pending EEO issues involving prior issues), the EEO Director accepted the termination issue for investigation.  (This should not happen; but it may.)  She is stuck with EEO formal investigation; because she "elected" to file with EEO and not with MSPB on her removal.  When the investigation is completed, as it should within 120 days of filing a formal EEO complaint , and the Report of Investigation (ROI) is issued; she will be given a chance to elect either EEOC hearing or MSPB hearing.  If she wants to appeal to MSPB on removal and to include all non termination issues, she may assert affirmative defense (claiming discrimination on all other non-termination issues) to do so in her MSPB appeal.  Or, she may elect EEOC by send the EEOC hearing request or request Final Agency Decision (in lieu of the hearing).

Again, she may still file MSPB appeal within 30 days after receipt of the Agency resolution or final agency decision on the complaint; or alternatively she may file an appeal with MSPB at any time after the expiration of 120 calendar days if the agency has not resolved the matter or issued a final agency decision within the 120-day period on her EEO complaint. See 5 C.F.R. Section 1201.154(b).

MSPB judges are required to render a decision with 180 days of appeal.  EEOC judges are to do so within 180 days of hearing request, per EEOC Directive.  But the latter rarely follow the Directive.

If you filed an EEO discrimination claim on your termination, and then filed a MSPB appeal the next day, you have "elected" to go with the Agency's EEO process. It is not advisable to do so because Agency may sit on your claim and refuse to acknowledge or investigate your claim, stating that you are no longer employed by the Agency, etc. and hoping that you will simply disappear from their sight. Even if your removal EEO claim is accepted for investigation by Agency, it will take 180 to complete the investigation (never sooner); and at the end of the investigation period you will be given a notice of right to request an EEOC hearing, or to forgo that right and to request Final Agency Decision (FAD). FAD is appealable to Office of Federal Operations (OFO) -the highest wing of EEOC on federal EEO process.

➤ More Mixed Case resources:

See EEOC's Management Directive (MD Chapter 4) on the "Mixed Case Complainants and Appeals."

Or, download by page:

Disclaimer: The information contained in this page are subject to change.  EEO 21, LLC does not take responsibility for any errors or misrepresentation contained therein.