Opinion ID: 2180301
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Cross-Petition

Text: Finally, Birch argues that the Commission lowered his mental injury award from the amount proposed by the hearing examiner (from $900,000 to $700,000) without stating its reasons for doing so. In Harris v. District of Columbia Comm'n on Human Rights, 562 A.2d 625 (D.C.1989), we held that when the Commission departs from credibility findings by the hearing examiner, it must state the reasons why. Id. at 630. We further explained, however, that the decision-making process of the Commission [does] ... not have the character of a hierarchical system in which the hearing examiner makes an initial decision which is followed by an internal agency appeal. Rather, the hearing examiner makes a recommended decision, but the final decision is made by the Commission. Id. (emphasis in the original). This is not a case where the Commission's reduction in the award implied disagreement with any of the examiner's credibility findings; rather it exercised its responsibility to guard against awards inflated beyond what the circumstances would justify. The Commission had no obligation under Harris to explain its entry of a lesser amount. Affirmed.