Opinion ID: 4517875
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Debarment

Text: Ricci attempts to invoke board jurisdiction by arguing that while ICE did not label its action a “debarment,” she was nonetheless subjected to an appealable suitability action because ICE “effectively” debarred her. Br. of Petitioner 8. In support, she notes that ICE’s December 2017 Notice of Proposed Action, A. 13, “warned” her that she could potentially be debarred. Br. of Petitioner 8. She contends, moreover, that the agency’s allegations of misconduct against her, although “unfounded” and “untrue,” id. at 6, were serious enough to support a debarment action and that ICE’s final decision letter, which rescinded her tentative offer of employment for the Criminal Investigator position, A. 17–18, failed to “clarify that [she] could still be considered for other DHS employment,” Br. of Petitioner 8. In Ricci’s view, ICE subjected her to a “de facto” debarment because its actions impugned her “character, specifically her honesty and trustworthiness,” id. at 10, and since the agency has a “protocol of retaining and sharing background investigation results for five years,” id. at 12 (footnote omitted), she will likely be foreclosed from obtaining a position in federal law enforcement before she “age[s] out” of eligibility for such employment, id. at 6; see also id. at 8–12. This argument is unavailing. First, although, as noted previously, a debarment is an appealable suitability action, see 5 C.F.R. § 731.203(a)(4), OPM regulations specify that a “debarment” occurs when, after evaluating the suitability criteria listed in 5 C.F.R. § 731.202(b), “an agency finds an applicant or appointee unsuitable” and “for a period of not more than 3 years from the date of the unfavorable suitability determination, den[ies] that person examination for, and appointment to, either all, or specific covered, positions within that agency.” Id. § 731.205(a). Here, although ICE, in its final action letter, informed Ricci that it had decided Case: 19-1626 Document: 48 Page: 8 Filed: 03/19/2020 8 RICCI v. MSPB to rescind its tentative offer of employment for the Criminal Investigator position, it did not state that she had been debarred or was ineligible for other positions within DHS. A. 17–18; see Board Decision, 2018 MSPB LEXIS 4526, at  (explaining that while ICE “made a determination not to extend a final offer of employment with regard to one job,” it “did not state or even suggest that it took any broader action regarding [Ricci’s] Federal employment eligibility, such as cancelling eligibility for existing competitive registers or debarring her from future agency employment”). Second, OPM has made clear that its revised suitability regulations afford the board no authority to review a “de facto” or “constructive” debarment. 3 See Suitability, 73 Fed. Reg. 20149, 20150–53 (OPM Final Rule, Apr. 15, 2018) (“Final Rule”). Prior to 2008, the board had on occasion exerted jurisdiction over “constructive” suitability actions. See, e.g., Saleem v. Dep’t of the Treasury, 88 M.S.P.R. 3 OPM “is an independent establishment in the ex- ecutive branch,” 5 U.S.C. § 1101, and the Director of OPM has authority “to prescribe regulations and to ensure compliance with the civil service laws, rules, and regulations,” id. § 1104(b)(3); see Archuleta v. Hopper, 786 F.3d 1340, 1347 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (examining “the relationship between OPM and the [b]oard, including their respective roles in the civil service system”). On appeal, Ricci does not argue that OPM lacked authority to issue its revised suitability regulations or that those regulations are otherwise invalid. See, e.g., Archuleta, 786 F.3d at 1351 n.5 (“To the extent OPM’s regulations . . . are inconsistent with the [b]oard’s statutory obligation to adjudicate appeals . . . they are invalid.”). Those arguments are therefore waived. See, e.g., SmithKline Beecham Corp. v. Apotex Corp., 439 F.3d 1312, 1319 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (“Our law is well established that arguments not raised in the opening brief are waived.”). Case: 19-1626 Document: 48 Page: 9 Filed: 03/19/2020 RICCI v. MSPB 9 151, 154–56 (2001); Edwards v. Dep’t of Justice, 87 M.S.P.R. 518, 521–24 (2001). In Edwards, for example, the board concluded that, under certain circumstances, an agency’s decision not to select an applicant for a position based upon suitability criteria could be viewed as a “constructive” suitability action appealable to the board. 87 M.S.P.R. at 523. Effective June 16, 2008, however, OPM issued revised regulations, which were designed to “clarify the scope of authority for the [board] to review actions taken under the [suitability] regulations.” Final Rule, 73 Fed. Reg. at 20149. In particular, the revised regulations were intended to eliminate confusion regarding the distinction between a “suitability determination” and an appealable “suitability action.” See id. at 20150 (“One (suitability actions) concerns the type of actions taken, such as debarment or removal, once a person is determined to be unsuitable and the other (suitability determinations) concerns the process of initially deciding whether a person is suitable.”). OPM specifically rejected Edwards’ holding that the board can exercise jurisdiction over “constructive” suitability actions, 87 M.S.P.R. at 523, stating that it was premised upon an “incorrect reading of the authority that OPM conferred upon the [b]oard.” Final Rule, 73 Fed. Reg. at 20152. OPM emphasized, moreover, that the board has no jurisdiction over appeals involving the non-selection for a specific position, even if that non-selection is based on “fitness or character.” Id. at 20150; see also id. at 20151 (“In other words, non-selection for a position is not an appealable suitability action.”). Accordingly, OPM has explicitly rejected Ricci’s argument that the board is empowered to adjudicate a “constructive” or “de facto” debarment. See id. at 20151 (rejecting the argument that giving an agency discretion to determine whether a particular personnel action should be “label[ed]” a suitability action “elevates form over substance” (internal quotation marks omitted)); see also Upshaw v. Consumer Prod. Safety Comm’n, 111 M.S.P.R. Case: 19-1626 Document: 48 Page: 10 Filed: 03/19/2020 10 RICCI v. MSPB 236, 239–40 (2009) (explaining that OPM’s revised suitability regulations eliminated the concept of a “constructive” suitability action and “specif[ied] that a non-selection for a specific position is not a suitability action even if it is based on reasons set forth at 5 C.F.R. § 731.202”). Third, even assuming arguendo that the results of Ricci’s background investigation, coupled with ICE’s determination that she was “unsuitable” to serve in the position of Criminal Investigator, A. 17, will make it difficult for her to obtain other federal law enforcement positions, this is insufficient to trigger board jurisdiction. Regardless of the impact that the non-selection for a specific position may have on an applicant’s ability to secure future federal employment, the board, as discussed previously, is only vested with authority to review actions designated as “appealable to [it] under any law, rule, or regulation.” 5 U.S.C. § 7701(a); see Monasteri v. Merit Sys. Prot. Bd., 232 F.3d 1376, 1378 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (emphasizing that the board’s jurisdiction “is not plenary”). Ricci identifies no law, rule, or regulation affording the board jurisdiction to review ICE’s decision to rescind her tentative offer of employment.