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OFFICE OF    COMPLIANCELA 200, John Adams Building, 110 Second Street, S.E.Washington, DC 20540-1999
_________________________ANN ROLLINS,[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]>[endif]>������ Appellant, ������������ v.��������������������������������� Case No. 03-HS-105(CV, AG)������������������������������������������������� Date: December 23, 2004OFFICE OF THE CLERK OFTHE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ��������Appellee._________________________
Before the Board of Directors: Susan S. Robfogel, Chair; Barbara L. Camens,    Alan V. Friedman; Roberta L. Holzwarth; Barbara    Childs Wallace, Members.

DECISION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

On June 14, 2004, Hearing Officer Sylvia Bacon rendered    a Decision from the Bench. On June 21, 2004, Hearing Officer Bacon issued an    Order of Judgment. The Hearing Officer Dismissed the case with prejudice    because Complainant failed to comply with procedures set forth in the rules    and statute. The Hearing Officer also concluded that the Complainant failed    to state a claim upon which relief could be granted and, even if, a*rguendo*,    a claim had been stated, Complainant did not establish a *prima facie*    case of age, race or sex discrimination or prove that the Respondent had    unlawfully discriminated against the Complainant on any basis. 

The Board has considered the Decision by the Hearing    Officer, the record, the �Petition for Review by the Board of Directors�    submitted by Appellant, and the �Motion to Dismiss Appeal for Appellant�s    Failure to Prosecute� (Motion) and Supporting Brief submitted by Appellee.1

The Board takes notice that the Hearing Officer applied    the appropriate procedural standards under regulation and case law, as    herein noted.2

Under Office of Compliance Procedural Rules (OC Proc.    R.) �� 7.01(12), 7.02(a), a Hearing Officer is authorized to impose    sanctions for a party�s failure to follow an Order including but not    limited to striking part of a complaint and directing judgment against the    non-complying party. Under Office of Compliance Procedural Rules, a Hearing    Officer is authorized to dismiss an action with prejudice for failure to    comply with an Order and for failure to prosecute or defend. OC Proc. R. �    7.02(b)(1) and (2). Federal Rules of Civil    Procedure also provide for involuntary dismissal of actions where a    plaintiff fails to prosecute a case or comply with a court order. Fed. R.    Civ. P. 41(b). �Considerations relevant to ascertaining when dismissal,    rather than a milder disciplinary measure, is warranted include the effect    of a plaintiff�s dilatory or contumacious conduct of the court�s docket,    whether the plaintiff�s behavior has prejudiced the defendant, and whether    the deterrence is necessary to protect the integrity of the judicial    system.� *Bristol Petroleum v. Harris*, 901 F.2d 165, 167 (D.C. Cir.    1990) citing *Shea**v. Donahue    Construction Co.*, 795 F.2d 1071 (D.C. Cir. 1986). See also *Gardner    v. United States*, 211 F.3d 1305, 1309 (D.C. Cir. 2000). The court also    stated within Gardner, that dismissal is justified �... when there is some    indication that the client or attorney consciously fails to comply with a    court order cognizant of the drastic ramifications.� *Gardner*, 211    F.3d at 1309 (citing *Shea*, 795 F.3d at    1078).

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended,    provides, inter alia, that it is unlawful for an employer "to fail or    refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate    against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions,    or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color,    religion, sex, or national origin."3

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of    1967, as amended, provides that it is unlawful for an employer to    �discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation,    terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such    individual�s age ....�4

In a discrimination case brought by an aggrieved person    pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Complainant    bears the burden to initially establish a prima facie case of    discrimination. *Texas Department of Community Affairs v. Burdine,* 450 U.S. 248 (1981); *McDonnell    Douglas Corp. v. Green,* 411 U.S. 792 (1973). If a prima facie case is    established, the burden shifts to the Agency to articulate a legitimate,    nondiscriminatory reason for the challenged action. Burdine    at 253-4; *McDonnell Douglas* at 802. Complainant may then show that    the explanation offered by the Agency was not the true reason, but a mere    pretext for intentional discrimination. *Burdine*    at 256; *McDonnell Douglas* at 804. 

It is not enough to disbelieve the employer's    articulated reason. In addition, the fact finder must believe the    Complainant's explanation of intentional discrimination. *St. Mary's    Honor Center v. Hicks,*509 U.S. 502 (1993). The ultimate burden of    persuading the trier of fact that the Agency discriminated against the    Complainant always remains with the Complainant. However, a prima facie    case and sufficient evidence of the Agency�s pretext may permit a finding    of discrimination, even without additional, independent evidence of    discrimination. *Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Products, Inc.*, 530    U.S. 133, 120 S.Ct. 2097, 2108-09 (June 12, 2000)    (proof of prima facie case and pretext alone usually sufficient to support    a trier of fact�s belief that discrimination occurred). 

As noted by the Court, the factual circumstances    necessarily vary in discrimination cases. Consequently, the courts have    developed models for certain common situations to assist in determining    whether a prima facie case has been established. See *Burdine*    at 256, n. 6; McDonnell Douglas at 802, n. 13. Although *McDonnell    Douglas* and *Burdine* were cases    which arose under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the principles    articulated in those cases are applicable to actions under the ADEA. *Cuddy    v. Carmen,* 694 F. 2d 853, 857-8 (D.C. Cir. 1982), 30 EPD � 33, 024; *Sutton    v. Atlantic Richfield Co.*, 646 F. 2d 407 (9th Cir. 1981), 26 EPD � 31,    897; *Loeb v. Textron, Inc.,* 600 F. 2d 1003 (1st Cir. 1979), 20 EPD    � 30, 028.

Generally, in order to establish a prima facie case of    unlawful discrimination based on age, race or sex in a selection case, a    Complainant must establish that: 1) she is a member of a protected class;    2) she applied for and was qualified for the position; and 3)    notwithstanding her qualifications, an applicant outside of Complainant�s    protected class was treated differently and selected for the position under    circumstances that give rise to an inference of unlawful discrimination. In    establishing a prima facie case of discrimination based on age, a    Complainant must demonstrate that she was 40 years of age or more at the    time of the personnel action at issue and she was treated differently, with    respect to a condition of employment, from a similarly situated person who    is outside of her protected class or is a significantly younger person and    in a manner that creates an inference of discrimination. *O�Connor v.    Consolidated Coin Caterers Corp.,* 116 S.Ct.    1307, 1310 (1996).

The Board concludes that based on appropriate rules and    precedent, the Hearing Officer�s Dismissal of the Rollins case was    authorized. Procedurally, based on Complainant�s repeated failures to    respond to Respondent and the Hearing Officer, give notice for the need for    rescheduling or seeking an extension of dates for submissions, or comply    with the Office of Compliance Procedural Rules, the Hearing Officer�s    Dismissal of the instant case was justified. 

The Board also concludes that based on the evidence,    the Hearing Officer correctly concluded that Complainant failed to    establish a prima facie case of sex, race or age discrimination because she    has not demonstrated that a similarly situated person who is not within her    protected classes based on race or age or someone significantly younger was    selected. She also failed to demonstrate, as a female applicant for a    position wherein a male applicant was selected, that decisions were made    under circumstances that give rise to an inference of unlawful sex    discrimination since she had not demonstrated that she was as qualified as    the selectee. Complainant�s resume was extremely brief and failed to    present a detailed description of her qualifications or experience. Comparatively,    all applicants called for interview including the selectee, Mr. Dodge,    submitted detailed multi-page resumes demonstrating their qualifications    via specific listings of educational and professional experiences and their    publications by title and name of publication. Based on the evidence, the    Hearing officer concluded that Complainant did not demonstrate that she was    as qualified as others. Accordingly, as the Hearing Officer concluded,    Complainant did not establish a prima facie case of race, age or sex    discrimination. She did not challenge the evidence of record about the    selectee or demonstrate that the articulated reasons presented in    Respondent�s Prehearing Brief why applicants other than Complainant were    called for interview and why the selectee was chosen are a pretext for    discrimination. Accordingly, Complainant failed to prove, by a    preponderance of the evidence, that the Respondent    unlawfully discriminated against her. 

Although the Hearing Officer did not cite the case law    that guided her analysis, we have provided it herein and have viewed the    Hearing Officer�s Decision and the relevant law in arriving at our    Decision. We are satisfied that the Hearing Officer applied the correct    regulatory and legal standards in analyzing this case. We are satisfied    that the Hearing Officer�s conclusions are supported by substantial    evidence. 

Pursuant to � 406(e) of the Congressional    Accountability Act and � 8.01(d) of the Office of Compliance Procedural    Rules and Approved Amendments, the Board **AFFIRMS** the    Hearing Officer�s merits determination finding that Complainant failed to    prove that the Respondent unlawfully discriminated against her. The Board    also **AFFIRMS** the Hearing Officer�s determination to    Dismiss this case for the Complainant�s failure to comply with procedures    set forth in the Procedural Rules and Statute. Since the Hearing Officer�s    Decision is supported by substantial evidence, is legally sound, was not    capricious, arbitrary, an abuse of discretion or otherwise not consistent    with law or with required procedures the Board **AFFIRMS** the    Hearing Officer�s procedural Dismissal and Decision on the merits and **DENIES**    the Appeal.

*It is so ordered.*

BY: THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE

Issued, Washington, DC, December 23, 2004.

1The Board notes that Appellant    included in her Petition for review conclusory statements about the Office    of Compliance processing of this matter. Although noted, no action is    deemed necessary based on the lack of specificity and Appellant�s lack of    supporting evidence for her conclusions.

2 Appellant failed to serve her    Petition for Review by the Board on the Appellee. She also failed to submit    the Supporting Brief as required by the pertinent Regulations. In    accordance with the Regulations, and the Motion by the Appellee, this case    could have been **DISMISSED** by the Board. The Board,    however, elected to proceed in considering the Appeal even though it had    not been perfected.

342 U.S.C. � 2000e-2.

429 U.S.C. � 621.
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