Opinion ID: 796224
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Fernandez's Election of Remedies

Text: 38 It is undisputed that Fernandez irrevocably elected to pursue the negotiated procedure to resolve his pure discrimination claim. Based upon the collective bargaining agreement in place between the Department and NTEU at the time that Fernandez was denied reinstatement, the NTEU requested a dispute resolution meeting on behalf of Fernandez and thereafter invoked arbitration. 39 An aggrieved employee who files a grievance with an agency whose negotiated agreement permits the acceptance of grievances which allege discrimination may not thereafter file a[n EEO] complaint on the same matter under this part 1614 irrespective of whether the agency has informed the individual of the need to elect or of whether the grievance has raised an allegation of discrimination. 40 29 C.F.R. § 1614.301(a) (emphasis added). Because Fernandez elected to proceed with the negotiated grievance procedure in the first instance, his EEO complaint filed on November 15, 2001 was properly dismissed inasmuch as arbitration of the same matter already had been invoked. 41 Although Fernandez now attempts to avoid the preclusive effect of 5 U.S.C. § 7121(d) by arguing that the NTEU invoked the negotiated grievance procedure without notifying him, that objection is not properly before us inasmuch as it is being raised for the first time on appeal. In any event, even assuming that Fernandez was unaware of the NTEU's September 7, 2001 letter requesting formal dispute resolution, the Record reveals that Fernandez was notified of this fact in the December 13, 2001 correspondence dismissing his EEO complaint on the basis of the ongoing grievance procedure and that he subsequently supported the NTEU's role in the procedure by specifically designating Talarico as his bargaining representative. Moreover, nothing in the Record demonstrates that Fernandez ever requested that the NTEU cease negotiations. 42 Nevertheless, when Fernandez rejected a proposed settlement that the NTEU viewed to be reasonable, the union abandoned his grievance by unilaterally withdrawing from arbitration. Therefore, the issue presented on this appeal is what, if any, avenue of relief was available to Fernandez after the NTEU withdrew from arbitration.