Opinion ID: 2194712
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: A. Mayoral Authority Claim

Text: Sims contends that the Mayor had reached the statutorily authorized limit of 100 Excepted Service positions prior to the attempt of `excepting' Sims's position, and therefore the attempt to place Sims in the Excepted Service was without authority and thus void. He concedes, however, that he did not make this claim during the agency proceedings. The District asserts that because this claim was not raised before the OEA, it was waived. We agree. It is a principle of long standing that [a]dministrative and judicial efficiency require all claims be first raised at the agency level to allow appropriate development and administrative response before judicial review. Orius Telecomm. v. District of Columbia Dep't of Employment Servs., 857 A.2d 1061, 1068 (D.C.2004) (quoting Hill v. District of Columbia Dep't of Employment Servs., 717 A.2d 909, 912 (D.C.1998)). [6] Therefore, only under exceptional circumstances, Jewell v. District of Columbia Police and Firefighters Ret. and Relief Bd., 738 A.2d 1228, 1231 (D.C. 1999), where manifest injustice would otherwise result, Goodman v. District Columbia Rental Hous. Comm'n, 573 A.2d 1293, 1301 (D.C.1990), will the court consider claims that were not presented to the agency. This test has not been met here.