UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD

2023 MSPB 8

Docket No. DC-0752-11-0867-B-1

Rosemary Jenkins,

Appellant,

v.

United States Postal Service,

Agency.

February 27, 2023

Neil C. Bonney, Esquire, Virginia Beach, Virginia, for the appellant.

LaDonna L. Griffith-Lesesne, Esquire, Landover, Maryland, for the 

agency.

BEFORE

Cathy A. Harris, Vice Chairman

Raymond A. Limon, Member

Tristan L. Leavitt, Member

OPINION AND ORDER

¶1 The appellant has filed a petition for review and the agency has filed a cross 

petition for review of the remand initial decision, which affirmed the agency’s 

August 9, 2011 enforced leave action. For the reasons set forth below, we DENY 

the appellant’s petition for review and the agency’s cross petition for review, 

VACATE both the remand initial decision and the Board’s August 5, 2014 

Remand Order in MSPB Docket No. DC-0752-11-0867-I-2, and DISMISS the 

appeal. We FORWARD the matter to the Board’s Washington Regional Office 

for docketing as a new appeal under 5 C.F.R. § 353.304(c).
2

BACKGROUND

¶2 Prior to her retirement, the appellant, a preference eligible, was a City 

Carrier at the L.C. Page Station in Norfolk, Virginia. Jenkins v. U.S. Postal 

Service, MSPB Docket No. DC-0752-11-0867-I-1, Initial Appeal File (IAF), 

Tab 11 at 9. On September 13, 2004, she sustained a compensable work-related 

injury to her right foot. IAF, Tab 6, Subtab 4g at 3. She underwent surgery in 

June 2005, and returned to duty with restrictions. Id. On September 10, 2009, 

the appellant again injured her right foot and subsequently entered a leave status. 

Id. She filed a claim with the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs 

(OWCP) for recurrence of her 2004 injury, but OWCP denied her claim, and the 

OWCP Branch of Hearing and Review affirmed that decision on November 29, 

2010. Id. at 4-8. 

¶3 On April 30, 2011, the appellant attempted to report for work but was 

informed that there was no work available within her medical restrictions. She 

then filed a Board appeal, under the name Rosemary Brocks, arguing that the 

agency had constructively suspended her effective April 30, 2011. Brocks v. 

U.S. Postal Service, MSPB Docket No. DC-0752-11-0628-I-1, Tab 1. The 

administrative judge assigned to that case dismissed the appeal for lack of 

jurisdiction, and the full Board affirmed that decision on petition for review.

Brocks v. U.S. Postal Service, MSPB Docket No. DC-0752-11-0628-I-1, Final 

Order (Aug. 22, 2012).

¶4 Meanwhile, on June 21, 2011, the appellant provided the agency with a 

CA-17 Duty Status Report, indicating that she was released to resume work, but 

with medical restrictions limiting her to sedentary work only. IAF, Tab 6, 

Subtab 4f. The agency conducted a search for light-duty work in Norfolk, but 

without success. Hearing Transcript at 53 (testimony of proposing official), 

80-82 (testimony of deciding official); Jenkins v. U.S. Postal Service, MSPB 

Docket No. DC-0752-11-0867-B-1, Remand File (RF), Tab 10 at 11-12. On

July 8, 2011, the agency issued the appellant a Notice of Proposed Placement on 
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Enforced Leave, explaining that no work was available within her medical 

restrictions. IAF, Tab 6, Subtab 4e. The appellant, who previously had been in a 

leave without pay (LWOP) status, was placed on administrative leave for the 

duration of the response period. Id., Subtab 4d. The appellant’s attorney 

requested documentation concerning the proposed action and an extension of the 

deadline for responding to the notice, but the agency denied his requests, stating 

that the appellant’s union was her exclusive representative absent a waiver in 

writing. IAF, Tab 1 at 6-8. On August 3, 2011, the deciding official issued a 

decision affirming the appellant’s placement on enforced leave. IAF, Tab 6, 

Subtab 4c. The appellant was returned to LWOP status on August 9, 2011. Id.

at 1.

¶5 Also on August 9, 2011, the appellant filed the instant Board appeal, 

arguing that the agency constructively suspended her, discriminated against her 

on the basis of her disability, and deprived her of her statutory rights by not 

properly affording her the opportunity to respond to the notice of proposed 

placement on enforced leave. IAF, Tab 1 at 1-2. On September 19, 2011, while 

the appeal was still pending in the regional office, OWCP issued a 

reconsideration decision1vacating its November 29, 2010 decision and finding, 

based on the appellant’s newly submitted medical evidence, that her 

September 10, 2009 injury was a recurrence of her 2004 injury and therefore 

compensable. IAF, Tab 10 at 4-6. On October 3, 2012, the appellant separated 

from the Federal service on disability retirement. Jenkins v. U.S. Postal Service, 

MSPB Docket No. DC-0752-11-0867-I-2, Appeal File (I-2 AF), Tab 13 at 23. 

Her appeal was later dismissed without prejudice so that the parties could pursue 

a possible settlement, and the appeal was subsequently refiled. IAF, Tab 31; 

I-2 AF, Tab 1. On February 19, 2013, following a hearing, the administrative 

 

1

The OWCP decision was addressed to Rosemary A. Brocks of Norfolk, Virginia. IAF, 

Tab 10 at 4.
4

judge issued an initial decision dismissing the appeal for lack of jurisdiction, 

finding that the appellant had failed to establish that she was constructively 

suspended. I-2 AF, Tab 15, Initial Decision. The appellant filed a petition for 

review. Jenkins v. U.S. Postal Service, MSPB Docket No. DC-0752-11-0867-I-2, 

Petition for Review File, Tab 1. 

¶6 While the appellant’s petition for review of that decision was pending, the 

Board issued its decision in Abbott v. U.S. Postal Service, 121 M.S.P.R. 294

(2014), clarifying that placement on enforced leave for more than 14 days 

constitutes an ordinary adverse action within the Board’s jurisdiction and that an 

appeal of such an action should not be adjudicated as a constructive suspension 

claim. Id., ¶¶ 9-10. By order dated August 5, 2014, the Board remanded the 

appeal for adjudication on the merits, finding that it had jurisdiction over the 

appellant’s placement in an enforced leave status. Jenkins v. U.S. Postal Service, 

MSPB Docket No. DC-0752-11-0867-I-2, Remand Order, ¶¶ 1, 3, 7 (Aug. 5, 

2014). The Board also found that the appellant had not been denied due process

and that her procedural objections to the enforced leave action should be 

adjudicated under a harmful error standard. Id., ¶¶ 5-6. The Board further 

directed the administrative judge to consider “the possible effect” of OWCP’s 

reconsideration decision. Id., ¶ 7.

¶7 On remand, the administrative judge issued a new initial decision sustaining 

the August 9, 2011 enforced leave action. 2 RF, Tab 28, Remand Initial Decision 

(RID). The administrative judge first found that the agency had properly brought 

an indefinite suspension action with a determinable condition subsequent, i.e., the 

provision of medical documentation supporting the appellant’s return to duty. 

RID at 6. He further found that the agency proved its charge that the appellant 

was physically unable to perform the duties of her position and that the charge 

 

2 On remand, the appellant waived her right to a hearing. RF, Tab 21 at 3. 
5

had a self-evident nexus to the efficiency of the service. RID at 6-7. As to the 

reasonableness of the penalty, the administrative judge found that assigning the 

appellant work within her medical restrictions was not a reasonable alternative to 

the suspension, because no such work was available. RID at 7-11. In so finding, 

the administrative judge noted that during the period following OWCP’s 

September 19, 2011 reconsideration decision, the agency apparently had not 

complied with its self-imposed rules concerning reassigning employees with 

compensable injuries. RID at 10-11. Specifically, the agency had restricted its 

search to vacant, funded positions, whereas it was obliged under section 546 of 

the Employee and Labor Relations Manual to search for available duties 

regardless of whether those duties comprised the essential functions of an 

established position. RID at 9-10. However, the administrative judge found “no 

reason to conclude that a proper search would likely have uncovered available 

duties within the appellant’s medical restrictions.” RID at 10-11.

¶8 The administrative judge further found that the appellant failed to prove her

disability discrimination claim based on a failure to accommodate, because there 

was no evidence of a reasonable accommodation that would have allowed her to 

perform the essential functions of her Letter Carrier position or any other vacant, 

funded position within the agency. RID at 11. As to the appellant’s procedural 

objections, the administrative judge found that the agency erred in not permitting 

the appellant’s attorney to act as her representative in response to the proposal of 

enforced leave, but that this error was neither harmful nor in violation of her due 

process rights. RID at 12-14. In addition, he found that the agency had not 

improperly withheld materials on which it relied in proposing her placement on 

enforced leave. RID at 14-15. 

¶9 The administrative judge also observed that, in light of OWCP’s 

reconsideration decision, the appellant might be able to establish jurisdiction over 

a claim that she was improperly denied restoration as a partially recovered 

employee under 5 C.F.R. § 353.301. RID at 15-16. However, he found that the 
6

case was distinguishable from Kinglee v. U.S. Postal Service, 114 M.S.P.R. 473, 

¶¶ 19-22 (2010), in which the Board held that a constructive suspension claim 

brought by a partially recovered employee was subsumed in his restoration claim. 

RID at 16-18. The administrative judge noted that the parties had not had an 

opportunity to develop the record under a restoration theory, but advised the 

appellant that she was not precluded from filing a separate restoration appeal. 

RID at 17.

¶10 On petition for review, the appellant contests the administrative judge’s 

findings on the charge and harmful error defense, and contends that the agency 

should be sanctioned for failing to preserve documents concerning its 

accommodation efforts. Jenkins v. U.S. Postal Service, MSPB Docket 

No. DC-0752-11-0867-B-1, Remand Petition for Review (RPFR) File, Tab 1

at 6-23. She further argues that the administrative judge erred in declining to rule 

on her claim that the agency denied her restoration rights as a partially recovered 

employee. Id. at 23-24. On cross petition for review, the agency contends that 

the administrative judge erred in finding that the appellant was entitled to be 

represented by an attorney prior to the Board proceedings. RPFR File, Tab 7 

at 8-10. The appellant has responded to the agency’s cross petition for review. 

RPFR File, Tab 9.

ANALYSIS

¶11 Pursuant to congressional authority, the Office of Personnel Management 

(OPM) has promulgated a comprehensive scheme that identifies the rights and 

remedies for individuals who partially or fully recover from compensable 

injuries. Kinglee, 114 M.S.P.R. 473, ¶ 22; 5 C.F.R. part 353; see 5 U.S.C. 

§ 8151. As relevant here, 5 C.F.R. § 353.301(d) provides that an agency “must 

make every effort to restore in the local commuting area, according to the 

circumstances of each case, an individual who has partially recovered from a 

compensable injury and who is able to return to limited duty.” OPM’s
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regulations further provide that a partially recovered employee may appeal to the 

Board for a determination of whether the agency has acted arbitrarily and 

capriciously in denying restoration. 3 5 C.F.R. § 353.304(c).

¶12 When an agency fails to assign work to a partially recovered employee and 

requires her absence from duty, the employee may not contest the agency’s action 

as a suspension, because her rights and remedies are subsumed in the restoration 

process. Bohannon v. U.S. Postal Service, 115 M.S.P.R. 629, ¶ 11 (2011); 

Kinglee, 114 M.S.P.R. 473, ¶¶ 16-22. As we explained in Kinglee, 114 M.S.P.R. 

473, ¶ 22, this holding is consistent with the principle of excluding other avenues 

of relief where a comprehensive scheme exists regarding the rights and remedies 

at issue. Although the appellants in Kinglee and Bohannon attempted to raise 

constructive suspension claims, we find this principle applies equally to cases 

such as this one, in which the agency’s denial of restoration is couched as an 

enforced leave action. 

¶13 The Board also has held that when, as in this case, OWCP reverses a 

previous ruling that an employee’s injury was not compensable, restoration rights

are conferred retroactively. See Welber v. U.S. Postal Service, 62 M.S.P.R. 98, 

103-04 (1994) (reopening a restoration appeal when the Board’s decision in the 

agency’s favor was predicated on OWCP’s denying the appellant’s claim for 

 

3

To establish jurisdiction under 5 C.F.R. § 353.304(c), an appellant must, inter alia, 

make a nonfrivolous allegation that the agency failed to comply with the minimum 

requirement of 5 C.F.R. § 353.301(d), i.e., to search within the local commuting area 

for vacant positions to which it can restore a partially recovered employee and to 

consider her for any such vacancies. Cronin v. U.S. Postal Service, 2022 MSPB 13, 

¶ 20. Although an agency may undertake restoration efforts beyond the minimum effort 

required by OPM under 5 C.F.R. § 353.301(d), an agency’s failure to comply with its 

self-imposed obligations cannot itself constitute a violation of 5 C.F.R. § 353.301(d),

such that a resulting denial of restoration would be rendered “arbitrary and capricious” 

for purposes of establishing Board jurisdiction under 5 C.F.R. § 353.304(c). Cronin, 

2022 MSPB 13, ¶ 20. Moreover, an appellant’s claim of prohibited discrimination or 

reprisal for protected activity is immaterial to the question of whether a denial of 

restoration was arbitrary and capricious for purposes of section 353.304(c). Id., ¶ 21.
8

compensation, and OWCP subsequently reversed its earlier decision, thus 

entitling him to restoration rights during the period at issue). We therefore 

conclude that, upon the appellant’s partial recovery from her September 10, 2009 

injury, she acquired restoration rights under 5 C.F.R. § 353.301(d). From that 

point forward, her rights and remedies concerning her attempted return to duty

were subsumed under the restoration process. See Bohannon, 115 M.S.P.R. 629, 

¶ 11; Kinglee, 114 M.S.P.R. 473, ¶¶ 16-22. Hence, if the appellant believes that, 

subsequent to September 10, 2009, the agency arbitrarily and capriciously denied 

her restoration as a partially recovered employee, her exclusive avenue of remedy 

is an appeal under 5 C.F.R. § 353.304(c). See 5 U.S.C. § 8151. 

¶14 Because this time frame encompasses the period during which the appellant 

was in enforced leave status, we DISMISS her chapter 75 appeal. Given this 

disposition, we do not reach the parties’ remaining arguments on review. While 

the appellant has expressed her wish to pursue a restoration claim, the parties 

have not had an opportunity to fully develop the record on that issue. 

Accordingly, rather than adjudicate a restoration claim at this time, we 

FORWARD the matter to the Board’s regional office for docketing as a new 

appeal under 5 C.F.R. § 353.304(c).

4

 

4

In the unique circumstances of this case, we deem the appeal to be timely filed. To 

the extent we may have suggested in the decision in Brocks v. U.S. Postal Service,

MSPB Docket No. DC-0752-11-0628-I-1, Final Order (Aug. 22, 2012), that the 

appellant cannot establish jurisdiction over a restoration claim, any such statement is

without preclusive effect, as we did not rely on it in dismissing the constructive 

suspension claim at issue in that appeal. See Hau v. Department of Homeland Security, 

123 M.S.P.R. 620, ¶ 13 (2016) (observing that collateral estoppel applies when, inter 

alia, the issue decided in a prior action was necessary to the resulting judgment), aff’d 

sub nom. Bryant v. Merit Systems Protection Board, 878 F.3d 1320 (Fed. Cir. 2017).
9

ORDER

¶15 This is the final decision of the Merit Systems Protection Board in this 

appeal. Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 1201.113 (5 C.F.R. 

§ 1201.113).

NOTICE OF APPEAL RIGHTS5

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 appeal 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 

 

5

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.
10

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: 

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 
11

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 
12

(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 Board’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. 6The 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 

following address: 

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. 

 

6

The original statutory provision that provided for judicial review of certain 

whistleblower claims by any court of appeals of competent jurisdiction expired on 

December 27, 2017. The All Circuit Review Act, signed into law by the President on 

July 7, 2018, permanently allows appellants to file petitions for judicial review of 

MSPB decisions in certain whistleblower reprisal cases with the U.S. Court of Appeals 

for the Federal Circuit or any other circuit court of appeals of competent jurisdiction. 

The All Circuit Review Act is retroactive to November 26, 2017. Pub. L. No. 115-195, 

132 Stat. 1510. 
13

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. 

Contact information for the courts of appeals can be found at their 

respective websites, which can be accessed through the link below: 

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

FOR THE BOARD:

/s/

Jennifer Everling

Acting Clerk of the Board

Washington, D.C.