Opinion ID: 780275
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Johnson's Failure to File an Administrative Complaint Within 15 Days

Text: 37 The record indicates that Katie received the Notice of Right to File Individual Complaint at Johnson's residence on August 4, 2000. Accordingly, in order for Johnson's formal complaint to be timely, she would have had to file it within fifteen days of that date: by August 19, 2000 (a Saturday). However, Johnson maintains that she was misled by the handwritten date 9-3-00, and thought that the fifteen-day deadline ran from September 3, which would have established a filing deadline of Monday, September 18, 2000. Johnson filed her formal complaint on September 8, 2000, so, based on her understanding of the deadlines, her complaint would have been timely. 38 As a matter of law, it is fairly clear that neither equitable tolling nor equitable estoppel applies to this claim. Equitable tolling is unavailable to Johnson because the undisputed evidence in the record, including Johnson's own deposition testimony and filings with USPS, indicates that she was represented by counsel in this matter from June 2000 onward. Thus, as this Court held in Leorna, Johnson may be charged with constructive knowledge of the law's requirements, through her attorney, during the relevant time period. Leorna, 105 F.3d at 551. Equitable estoppel, on the other hand, is unavailable here for the same reason it was unavailable before: There is nothing in the record that suggests that the handwritten date on the notice was intended to deceive Johnson, or that USPS knew or should have known that it would have deceived her, in light of when the notice was sent, the date on the cover letter, and the fact that the cover letter specified that [i]f you still wish to pursue your complaint, you must complete [the relevant forms] within fifteen (15) days upon receipt of this letter.  Accordingly, summary judgment was warranted in favor of USPS on the timeliness of Johnson's formal complaint.