Opinion ID: 407873
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Adequacy of administrative remedy for other discrimination issues.

Text: 46 The district court noted that the VA admitted discrimination against Nolan with respect to the evaluations by her supervisors and her assignment to the undesired AHDT position. The court declined to act on Nolan's motion for partial summary judgment on these claims, however, stating that the available remedies had been granted in the administrative proceedings or were moot. Nolan contended that these claims should have been heard by the district court because of an inadequate VA remedy. The VA argued that Nolan failed to state what further relief should be forthcoming. Although Nolan did not elaborate in detail the exact inadequacy of relief, she did reiterate in her brief the relief requested in her complaint of reinstatement, back pay, retroactive granting of leave, injunctive and declaratory relief, attorney fees, and costs. 47 We agree that no further relief can be granted on the discriminatory evaluations issue as such evaluations were ordered to be removed from Nolan's file. There likewise can be no further relief in the form of retroactive granting of leave in light of our ruling on the leave issue. 48 No administrative remedy was provided for the discriminatory AHDT assignment because Nolan's resignation was found to be voluntary by the EEO hearing examiner. The VA adopted such finding and the Board affirmed this decision. The district court agreed with this finding and concluded that the only remedies available for such discrimination were moot. 49 In light of our decision to remand the constructive discharge issue to the district court, we are not in a position to order any immediate relief on the AHDT assignment issue. We have held that this assignment contributed to a genuine issue of material fact concerning Nolan's constructive discharge claim. If the district court decides that there was a constructive discharge, relief granted by the district court will include a remedy for the discriminatory AHDT assignment. If the district court decides that there was no constructive discharge and Nolan's resignation was voluntary, the district court's mootness conclusion would be applicable. 50