Court Opinion

ID: 9373623
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-22 16:06:15.861485+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:42.716808
License: Public Domain

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
                        MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD

     GEORGE WEISBROD,                                DOCKET NUMBER
                  Appellant,                         AT-0831-16-0549-I-1

                  v.

     OFFICE OF PERSONNEL                             DATE: June 28, 2022
       MANAGEMENT,
                   Agency.

             THIS FINAL ORDER IS NONPRECEDENTIAL 1

           Demetrius Sterling, Birmingham, Alabama, for the appellant.

           Karla W. Yeakle, Washington, D.C., for the agency.

                                           BEFORE

                               Cathy A. Harris, Vice Chairman
                                Raymond A. Limon, Member
                                 Tristan L. Leavitt, Member

                                       FINAL ORDER

¶1         The appellant has filed a petition for review of the initial decision, which
     affirmed the decision of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to dismiss
     his request for reconsideration as untimely filed. Generally, we grant petitions
     such as this one only in the following circumstances: the initial decision contains

     1
        A nonprecedential order is one that the Board has determined does not add
     significantly to the body of MSPB case law. Parties may cite nonprecedential orders,
     but such orders have no precedential value; the Board and administrative judges are not
     required to follow or distinguish them in any future decisions. In contrast, a
     precedential decision issued as an Opinion and Order has been identified by the Board
     as significantly contributing to the Board’s case law. See 5 C.F.R. § 1201.117(c).
                                                                                        2

     erroneous findings of material fact; the initial decision is based on an erroneous
     interpretation of statute or regulation or the erroneous application of the law to
     the facts of the case; the administrative judge’s rulings during either the course of
     the appeal or the initial decision were not consistent with required procedures or
     involved an abuse of discretion, and the resulting error affected the outcome of
     the case; or new and material evidence or legal argument is available that, despite
     the petitioner’s due diligence, was not available when the record closed. Title 5
     of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 1201.115 ( 5 C.F.R. § 1201.115).
     After fully considering the filings in this appeal, we conclude that the petitioner
     has not established any basis under section 1201.115 for granting the petition for
     review.   Therefore, we DENY the petition for review.          Except as expressly
     MODIFIED by this Final Order to vacate the administrative judge’s finding that
     OPM’s dismissal of the appellant’s request for reconsideration was not
     unreasonable or an abuse of discretion, we AFFIRM the initial decision.

                                      BACKGROUND
¶2         On November 18, 2006, OPM issued the appellant a letter informing him of
     its determination that he had been restored to earning capacity and that , as a
     result, he no longer was eligible to receive disability retirement benefits. Initial
     Appeal File (IAF), Tab 5 at 17-18. In a second letter issued the same day, OPM
     advised the appellant that his benefits should have terminated as of June 30, 2006,
     and that, consequently, it had overpaid him disability retirement benefits in the
     amount of $5,343.32. Id. at 19-26. The second letter informed the appellant that
     he could request reconsideration of OPM’s determinations by completing an
     enclosed form, and either mailing or hand delivering the form to OPM “within
     30 calendar days after the date of [OPM’s] letter.” Id. at 20-21 (emphasis in
     original). The letter also explained that OPM would extend the 30-day time limit
     for filing a request for reconsideration only if the appellant demonstrated that he
                                                                                      3

     was unaware of the time limit or was prevented from respondin g by a cause
     beyond his control. Id. at 26.
¶3         On February 2, 2016, the appellant submitted correspondence concerning
     his disability retirement benefits to his Congressman, who forwarded it to OPM
     for its review on February 24, 2016. IAF, Tab 5 at 7-8. It appears that OPM
     considered the forwarded February 2, 2016 correspondence as a request for
     reconsideration of its two November 18, 2006 decisions. Id. at 5. On May 3,
     2016, OPM issued a final decision dismissing the appellant’s request as untimely
     filed, finding that the appellant had not provided sufficient argument or evidence
     to justify an extension of the time limit. Id. at 5-6.
¶4         The appellant appealed OPM’s final decision to the Board.       IAF, Tab 1.
     Because    he   was   appealing an     OPM determination     that a request for
     reconsideration was untimely filed, the administrative judge issued an order
     explaining that the appellant had the burden of proof to show either that he was
     not notified of the time limit or that circumstances beyond his control prevented
     him from timely requesting reconsideration.        IAF, Tab 11.   In response, the
     appellant discussed the merits of his request for reconsideration and he recounted
     telephone conversations he had with OPM representatives ov er the years. IAF,
     Tab 12.
¶5         In its response to the appeal, OPM provided several documents.         IAF,
     Tab 5. In particular, it provided documentation concerning the appellant’s 2016
     correspondence with his Congressman, in which he challenged the ongoing
     collection of the overpayment, id. at 8, and requested reinstatement of his
     disability retirement benefits, id. at 12-14. It also provided an August 7, 2007
     letter to the appellant’s Congressman, in which it claimed that it suspended the
     collection of the overpayment at issue and informed the appellant of the steps he
     would need to take to apply for the reinstatement of his disability retirement
     annuity. Id. at 15-16.
                                                                                      4

¶6         In an initial decision based on the written record, the administrative judge
     affirmed OPM’s decision dismissing the appellant’s request for reconsideration as
     untimely filed. IAF, Tab 13, Initial Decision (ID). He found that the appellant
     did not demonstrate that OPM failed to notify him of the time limit for filing a
     request for reconsideration. ID at 2-4. The administrative judge also found that
     the appellant did not show that he qualified for an extension of OPM’s regulatory
     criteria for filing a reconsideration request and that OPM’s dismissal of his
     February 2, 2016 request for reconsideration on timeliness grounds was not
     unreasonable or an abuse of discretion. ID at 4.
¶7         The appellant has filed a petition for review of the initial decision, the
     agency has responded in opposition, and the appellant has filed a reply to the
     agency’s response. Petition for Review (PFR) File, Tabs 1, 4-5. Upon review of
     the existing record, the Acting Clerk of the Board issued a show cause order for
     clarification of certain issues, including whether the appellant has sought
     reinstatement of his disability retirement benefits and whether OPM resumed
     collection of the overpayment at issue. PFR File, Tab 6. In response to the order,
     OPM confirmed that, as of the date of its filing, the appellant had not taken the
     steps necessary to seek reinstatement of his disability retirement annuity and that
     it had not resumed collection of the overpayment at issue. PFR File, Tab 7 at 4,
     6.   It also provided the appellant instructions on how to apply for a deferred
     annuity. Id. at 6. In the appellant’s response to the order, he describes several
     unsuccessful attempts to communicate with OPM regarding his desire to rei nstate
     his disability annuity or collect a deferred annuity. PFR File, Tab 10 .

                     DISCUSSION OF ARGUMENTS ON REVIEW
¶8         When OPM dismisses an individual’s request for reconsideration of an
     initial decision as untimely filed, the Board has jurisdiction over an appeal
     regarding the timeliness determination.         Rossini v. Office of Personnel
     Management, 101 M.S.P.R. 289, ¶ 7 (2006). A request for reconsideration of an
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      initial decision issued by OPM regarding retirement benefits generally must be
      received by OPM within 30 calendar days from the date of the initial decision.
      5 C.F.R. § 831.109(e)(1). OPM may extend the time limit for filing a request for
      reconsideration when the applicant can prove that he was not notified of the time
      limit and was not otherwise aware of it, or that he was prevented by
      circumstances beyond his control from making the request within the time limit.
      5 C.F.R. § 831.109(e)(2); see Azarkhish v. Office of Personnel Management,
      915 F.2d 675, 677 (Fed. Cir. 1990). If the appellant fails to show that he was not
      notified of the time limit and was not otherwise aware of it, or that he was
      prevented by circumstances beyond his control from making the request within
      the time limit, the issue of whether OPM was unreasonable or abused its
      discretion in denying his untimely request for reconsideration is not reached.
      Azarkhish, 915 F.2d at 678.
¶9          Here, to be timely, the appellant needed to file a request for reconsideration
      of OPM’s November 18, 2006 decisions by December 18, 2006.              IAF, Tab 5
      at 21. The appellant has not argued that he was unaware of this deadline. To the
      extent the appellant’s response to the administrative judge’s order could be
      viewed as an argument that his undated telephone conversations with OPM
      representatives constituted an oral request for reconsideration, IAF, Tab 12, we
      find such argument unpersuasive. OPM’s November 16, 2006 letters informed
      the appellant that a request for reconsideration could be made by completing a
      form and submitting it to OPM by hand delivery or mail, which is consistent with
      its regulations that were in place at that time. IAF, Tab 5 at 21; see 5 C.F.R.
      § 831.1304(b)(1) (2006) (specifying that requests for reconsideration may be
      made by hand delivery or mail); see also 5 C.F.R. § 831.109(d) (2006) (providing
      that a request for reconsideration must be in writing).
¶10         The appellant states that he is at a disadvantage in pursuing his appeal
      because of a medical condition. PFR File, Tab 1 at 1. To the extent the appellant
      is arguing that his medical condition prevented him from making his
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      reconsideration request by the December 18, 2006 deadline, we note that the
      appellant stated that this medical condition arose because of an injury sustained
      in July 2007, and he does not set forth any circumstances—medical or
      otherwise—that prevented him from making a request for reconsideration
      between November 18 and December 18, 2006. IAF, Tab 1 at 1, Tab 12 at 2. We
      find, therefore, that he has not shown that he was prevented by circumstances
      beyond his control from making the request within the time limit.
¶11         To the extent the appellant argues that he cannot afford an attorney, PFR
      File, Tab 1 at 2-3, he has designated a representative on review, PFR File, Tabs 1,
      5, and he also had designated a representative below, IAF, Tab 9. Moreover, with
      an exception not applicable to the circumstances involved in this appeal, the
      Board is without any authority to appoint counsel in an appeal.                See, e.g.,
      Innocent v. Office of Personnel Management, 108 M.S.P.R. 453, ¶ 10, aff’d,
      296 F. App’x 925 (Fed. Cir. 2008).
¶12         When, as here, the appellant fails to show that he was not notified of the
      deadline and was not otherwise aware of it, or that he was prevented by
      circumstances beyond his control from making the request within the time limit,
      the appellant is not entitled to a waiver of the time limit and we will not reach the
      issue of whether OPM was unreasonable or abused its discretion in denying h is
      untimely request for reconsideration.         See Azarkhish, 915 F.2d at 678.
      Accordingly, we vacate the administrative judge’s finding in this regard and
      affirm the initial decision with this modification.
¶13         Finally,   because   we   affirm   OPM’s        dismissal   of   the    appellant’s
      reconsideration request as untimely filed, we lack jurisdiction to review the
      merits of his request or his other grievances against OPM.                   See Rossini,
      101 M.S.P.R. 289, ¶ 7.
                                                                                      7

                         NOTICE OF APPEAL RIGHTS 2
      The initial decision, as supplemented by this Final Order, constitutes the
Board’s final decision in this matter.      5 C.F.R. § 1201.113.      You may obtain
review of this final decision. 5 U.S.C. § 7703(a)(1). By statute, the nature of
your claims determines the time limit for seeking such review and the appropriate
forum with which to file. 5 U.S.C. § 7703(b). Although we offer the following
summary of available appeal rights, the Merit Systems Protection Board does not
provide legal advice on which option is most appropriate for your situation an d
the rights described below do not represent a statement of how courts will rule
regarding which cases fall within their jurisdiction. If you wish to seek review of
this final decision, you should immediately review the law applicable to your
claims and carefully follow all filing time limits and requirements. Failure to file
within the applicable time limit may result in the dismissal of your case by your
chosen forum.
      Please read carefully each of the three main possible choices of review
below to decide which one applies to your particular case. If you have questions
about whether a particular forum is the appropriate one to review your case, you
should contact that forum for more information.

      (1) Judicial review in general. As a general rule, an appellant seeking
judicial review of a final Board order must file a petition for review with the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which must be received by the court
within 60 calendar days of the date of issuance of this decision.              5 U.S.C.
§ 7703(b)(1)(A).

2
  Since the issuance of the initial decision in this matter, the Board may have updated
the notice of review rights included in final decisions. As indicated in the notice, the
Board cannot advise which option is most appropriate in any matter.
                                                                                         8

      If you submit a petition for review to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Federal   Circuit,   you   must   submit    your   petition    to   the   court   at   the
following address:
                              U.S. Court of Appeals
                              for the Federal Circuit
                             717 Madison Place, N.W.
                             Washington, D.C. 20439

      Additional information about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit is available at the court’s website, www.cafc.uscourts.gov. Of particular
relevance is the court’s “Guide for Pro Se Petitioners and Appellants,” which is
contained within the court’s Rules of Practice, and Forms 5, 6, 10, and 11.
      If you are interested in securing pro bono representation for an appeal to
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, you may visit our website at
http://www.mspb.gov/probono for information regarding pro bono representation
for Merit Systems Protection Board appellants before the Federal Circuit. The
Board neither endorses the services provided by any attorney nor warrants that
any attorney will accept representation in a given case.

      (2) Judicial   or    EEOC    review     of   cases      involving    a   claim    of
discrimination. This option applies to you only if you have claimed that you
were affected by an action that is appealable to the Board and tha t such action
was based, in whole or in part, on unlawful discrimination. If so, you may obtain
judicial review of this decision—including a disposition of your discrimination
claims—by filing a civil action with an appropriate U.S. district court ( not the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit), within 30 calendar days after you
receive this decision.      5 U.S.C. § 7703(b)(2); see Perry v. Merit Systems
Protection Board, 582 U.S. ____ , 137 S. Ct. 1975 (2017).                 If you have a
representative in this case, and your representative receives this decision before
you do, then you must file with the district court no later than 30 calendar days
after your representative receives this decision. If the action involves a claim of
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discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or a disabling
condition, you may be entitled to representation by a court-appointed lawyer and
to waiver of any requirement of prepayment of fees, costs, or other security. See
42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f) and 29 U.S.C. § 794a.
      Contact information for U.S. district courts can be found at their respective
websites, which can be accessed through the link below:
      http://www.uscourts.gov/Court_Locator/CourtWebsites.aspx.
      Alternatively, you may request review by the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of your discrimination claims only, excluding
all other issues. 5 U.S.C. § 7702(b)(1). You must file any such request with the
EEOC’s Office of Federal Operations within 30 calendar days after you receive
this decision. 5 U.S.C. § 7702(b)(1). If you have a representative in this case,
and your representative receives this decision before you do, then you must file
with the EEOC no later than 30 calendar days after your representative receives
this decision.
      If you submit a request for review to the EEOC by regular U.S. mail, the
address of the EEOC is:
                            Office of Federal Operations
                     Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
                                  P.O. Box 77960
                             Washington, D.C. 20013

      If you submit a request for review to the EEOC via commercial delivery or
by a method requiring a signature, it must be addressed to:
                            Office of Federal Operations
                     Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
                                 131 M Street, N.E.
                                   Suite 5SW12G
                             Washington, D.C. 20507

      (3) Judicial     review   pursuant   to   the   Whistleblower     Protection
Enhancement Act of 2012. This option applies to you only if you have raised
claims of reprisal for whistleblowing disclosures under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8) or
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other protected activities listed in 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(9)(A)(i), (B), (C), or (D).
If so, and your judicial petition for review “raises no challenge to the Board’s
disposition of allegations of a prohibited personnel practice described in
section 2302(b) other than practices described in section 2302(b)(8), or
2302(b)(9)(A)(i), (B), (C), or (D),” then you may file a petition for judicial
review either with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or any court
of appeals of competent jurisdiction. 3 The court of appeals must receive your
petition for review within 60 days of the date of issuance of this decision.
5 U.S.C. § 7703(b)(1)(B).
      If you submit a petition for judicial review to the U.S. Court of Appeals for
the Federal Circuit, you must submit your petition to the court at the
following address:
                               U.S. Court of Appeals
                               for the Federal Circuit
                              717 Madison Place, N.W.
                              Washington, D.C. 20439

      Additional information about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit is available at the court’s website, www.cafc.uscourts.gov. Of particular
relevance is the court’s “Guide for Pro Se Petitioners and Appellants,” which is
contained within the court’s Rules of Practice, and Forms 5, 6, 10, and 11.
      If you are interested in securing pro bono representation for an appeal to
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, you may visit our website at
http://www.mspb.gov/probono for information regarding pro bono representation
for Merit Systems Protection Board appellants before the Federal Circuit. The

3
   The original statutory provision that provided for judicial review of certain
whistleblower claims by any court of appeals of competent jurisdiction expired on
December 27, 2017. The All Circuit Review Act, signed into law b y the President on
July 7, 2018, permanently allows appellants to file petitions for judicial review of
MSPB decisions in certain whistleblower reprisal cases with the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Federal Circuit or any other circuit court of appeals of c ompetent jurisdiction.
The All Circuit Review Act is retroactive to November 26, 2017. Pub. L. No. 115 -195,
132 Stat. 1510.
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Board neither endorses the services provided by any attorney nor warrants that
any attorney will accept representation in a given case.
      Contact information for the courts of appeals can be found at their
respective websites, which can be accessed through the link below:
      http://www.uscourts.gov/Court_Locator/CourtWebsites.aspx.

FOR THE BOARD:                                    /s/ for
                                          Jennifer Everling
                                          Acting Clerk of the Board
Washington, D.C.