Opinion ID: 402221
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Broussard is Entitled to a Hearing Before the Postal Service

Text: 38 As we see it, both Broussard and the postal service must share the blame for the unfortunate set of circumstances that led to Broussard's failing to receive any hearing from anyone on the merits of his termination. Broussard, on the one hand, failed to heed express warnings not to seek Commission review of the merits of his termination while seeking Commission review of the preference eligibility issue. Also, Broussard acted rather precipitously by filing his Commission appeal on May 18, without first awaiting the clarification of the postal service position that he had requested just two days previously. 39 The postal service, on the other hand, failed to provide Broussard with sufficient information as to how he could obtain a dispositive ruling on the threshold veteran's preference issue while preserving his right to a postal service appeal of the merits if he lost on this threshold issue, and his right to a Commission appeal if he won. The postal service: 1) conceded that the Commission had the ultimate authority to adjudicate the veteran's preference issue; 2) conceded that Broussard had the right to seek review of the veteran's preference issue without waiving his postal service appeal rights; 3) informed Broussard that the procedural course he was taking in hope of preserving his rights (i.e., concurrent appeals) was improper; 4) hinted that there was some other course that would be proper; but 5) failed, despite request, to provide information about the unspecified proper course. We find that this failure to provide Broussard with this information violated Broussard's right, as provided by ELRM § 661.34, to notification of his appropriate appeal rights, including Veterans' Preference Act appeal rights. 40 It appears that a good part of the problem arises from the complex division of authority between administrative agencies in the determination of the veteran's preference status of a federal employee. As we understand it, no less than three agencies-the Commission, the VA, and the employing agency-all have a role to play in this determination. And this issue simply must be definitively resolved before an employee such as Broussard can make an informed decision as to where to appeal the merits of a termination or other adverse action. 41 Of course, the ideal solution is for agencies to resolve preference eligibility questions long before any adverse action against an employee is necessary. While this will not always be possible, in the present case the government allowed Broussard's claim to preference eligible status to remain unchallenged for sixteen years. Where, as here, for whatever reason, an employee is notified simultaneously of an adverse action and of a change in his preference eligible status, the present administrative system gives rise to clashes of important conflicting interests. The employee has a strong interest in preserving his appellate options while he appeals the veteran's preference issue, perhaps all the way to the United States Supreme Court. The employer, in contrast, has a strong interest in requiring the employee to choose quickly between alternative appellate routes. The employer could ill afford to hold adverse action review proceedings in abeyance for the years it would take an employee to exhaust administrative and judicial procedures in connection with the veteran's preference issue, because during this time witnesses' memories would dim and the employer's potential back pay liability would increase. 42 The postal service did tell Broussard that the veteran's preference issue could be resolved in a matter of days and without an appeal to the FEAA. Although the postal service has never clarified exactly how this could have been done, as best as we can understand, the postal service was suggesting that Broussard could: 1) appeal the threshold preference eligibility issue, but not the merits of his termination, to the Commission; 2) request expedited treatment of this limited appeal; 3) obtain the Commission's decision prior to the expiration of the fifteen-day limitations period for filing an appeal of the merits of his termination; and then 4) timely file his appeal of the merits of his termination with the appropriate agency (the Commission if he won on the threshold issue; the postal service if he lost). 43 If this is in fact what the postal service was suggesting (and, of course, we are by no means certain of this), then this should have been spelled out explicitly to Broussard, especially in view of the fact that he expressly requested a clarification. The postal service's own regulations require it to notify an employee subject to termination of his appropriate appeal rights, including Veterans' Preference Act appeal rights. ELRM § 661.34. In most cases, this should be a simple task-if the employee is undisputedly not a preference eligible veteran, he can be accurately informed that he can appeal only through the postal service; if he undisputedly is preference eligible, he can be informed of his option to appeal either to the postal service or to the Commission. However, where, as here, preference eligibility is disputed, then it is impossible for the postal service meaningfully to inform the employee of his appropriate appeal rights without including a clear and accurate explanation as to how he can obtain resolution of the veteran's preference issue without waiving his right to an appeal of the merits of his termination. We find that, under ELRM § 661.34, the postal service should have provided Broussard with such an explanation, 5 at least after he requested it, and that Broussard is entitled to have this case remanded for a hearing before the postal service. 44 Because we have previously rejected Broussard's claim to preference eligible status, the postal service is the only agency with jurisdiction to consider his appeal. 45 In view of our finding that the postal service acted contrary to its own regulation, we need not decide whether the postal service's actions deprived Broussard of his constitutional right to due process of law. We also need not decide whether the method impliedly suggested by the postal service for resolving the veteran's preference issue (i.e., a limited expedited appeal to the Commission, with the issue to be finally resolved within fifteen days) comports with due process. Presumably, the postal service would argue that the employee should have to choose between appellate routes soon after receiving the Commission's expedited decision as to his preference eligibility, while the employee would argue that, if the Commission's decision is adverse to him, he should be entitled to await the results of judicial review before being forced to choose. We suggest that the concerned agencies work out a procedure that will eliminate the need for any court ever to have to decide the difficult issues implicated where the employee's appellate rights are jeopardized by agency action that simultaneously both disciplines him and deprives him of a previously-recognized clear procedural remedy because of a change in the veterans preference status previously accorded him during the period of his government employment. 46 We additionally note that, even if the postal service had been acting within its rights by treating Broussard's appeal to the Commission as a waiver of his postal service appellate rights, the postal service was willing to ameliorate the harsh effect of its ruling by offering Broussard a hearing and moving to remand the case to it. By granting summary judgment to the postal service without ruling on the motion to remand, the district court, in effect, granted less relief to Broussard than the postal service was willing to give. In any event, we find that Broussard is entitled to a hearing, and we direct that the case be remanded to the postal service for such. 6 47