Opinion ID: 669637
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Civil Service Reform Act

Text: 21 Ms. Carr also brought suit under the Civil Service Reform Act, 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7511 et seq., claiming that an agency may not take adverse action against an employee for conduct caused by a medical condition. We may consider only the administrative record, and we may reverse only if the MSPB's decision was arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion. 22 We find that the MSPB's decision was reasonable. The Office dismissed Ms. Carr because of her absences, not because of handicap discrimination. Even though Ms. Carr's handicap was the reason for her absences from work, these absences were real and they were detrimental to the efficiency of the service. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7513(a). See Barnes v. Small, 840 F.2d 972, 979-80 (D.C.Cir.1988). Given our finding that the discharge was justified under the Rehabilitation Act, we cannot upset the MSPB's holding that Ms. Carr's firing was based on her detrimental conduct, and not on impermissible handicap discrimination.