Court Opinion

ID: 9373335
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-22 16:04:16.346922+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:41.538197
License: Public Domain

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
                        MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD

     ERIC S. ARTIS,                                  DOCKET NUMBER
                         Appellant,                  AT-0752-14-0390-I-1

                  v.

     TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY,                     DATE: October 11, 2022
                  Agency.

             THIS FINAL ORDER IS NONPRECEDENTIAL 1

                James E. Bankston, Florence, Alabama, for the appellant.

                Jennifer L. Grace, Esquire, Knoxville, Tennessee, 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
     sustained his removal. Generally, we grant petitions such as this one only in the
     following circumstances:      the initial decision contains erroneous findings of
     material fact; the initial decision is based on an erroneous interpretation of statute

     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        A nonprecedential order is one that the Board has determined does not add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 Parties may cite nonprecedential orders,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

     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 and AFFIRM the initial decision,
     which is now the Board’s final decision. 5 C.F.R. § 1201.113(b).

                     DISCUSSION OF ARGUMENTS ON REVIEW
¶2         As further detailed in the initial decision, the appellant most recently held
     the position of Maintenance Coordinator at a power plant. Initial Appeal File
     (IAF), Tab 41, Initial Decision (ID) at 1.      Among other things, that position
     required that he facilitate maintenance tasks by ensuring that they were
     coordinated appropriately and that the employees doing the hands-on work had
     the necessary information, instructions, parts, and tools. ID at 2.
¶3         In the fall of 2013, scheduled maintenance required that some transformers
     be temporarily grounded.      Id.   Because that work was done improperly, an
     electrical arc explosion occurred on October 2, 2013, injuring an electrician and
     causing approximately $100,000 in property damage. ID at 2 -3. An investigatory
     team concluded that several human errors contributed to the improper grounding
     and resulting explosion.   ID at 3.    For their respective roles, two electricians
     received written warnings, a foreman received a 3-day suspension and demotion,
     and the agency proposed the appellant’s removal. Id.
¶4         The proposal to remove the appellant included a narrative charge,
     explaining that he had been experiencing performance problems since taking the
                                                                                         3

     Maintenance Coordinator position in January 2012, culminating in his failure to
     develop a work package with grounding plan, as instructed, which directly
     contributed to the October 2013 explosion. ID at 3-4; IAF, Tab 13 at 28-29.
     Following the appellant’s response, the deciding official upheld his removal,
     effective December 20, 2013. ID at 4; IAF, Tab 13 at 19 -26.
¶5         The appellant filed the instant appeal, challenging his removal and raising
     several affirmative defenses. ID at 4. After holding the requested hearing, the
     administrative judge found that the agency met its burden, ID at 5-20, 27-30, and
     the appellant did not meet his, ID at 20-27. Therefore, the administrative judge
     affirmed the appellant’s removal. ID at 30. The appellant has filed a petition for
     review. Petition for Review (PFR) File, Tab 1. The agency has filed a response ,
     and the appellant has replied. PFR File, Tabs 3-4.

     The administrative judge properly found that the agency met its burden of
     proving the charges.
           Charge 1 – Failure to Follow Instructions
¶6         The administrative judge construed the narrative in the agency’s proposal to
     remove the appellant as consisting of two charges. ID a t 5. She characterized the
     first as a charge that the appellant directly contributed to the electrical explosion
     incident by failing to follow a direct instruction to help develop a work package.
     Id.; IAF, Tab 13 at 28. The administrative judge determin ed that the agency was
     required to show that the appellant was given a proper instruction and failed to
     follow it. ID at 5; see Archerda v. Department of Defense, 121 M.S.P.R. 314,
     ¶ 16 (2014) (recognizing that, to prove a charge of failure to follow instructions,
     an agency must establish that: (1) the employee was given proper instructions,
     and (2) the employee failed to follow the instructions, without regard to whether
     the failure was intentional or unintentional). The administrative judge found that
     the agency met that burden by proving that the appellant’s direct supervisor
     properly instructed him to work with a foreman and systems engineer to develop a
                                                                                        4

     work package with grounding plan, but the appellant failed to follow those
     instructions. ID at 5-12.
¶7        On review, without citing any evidence, the appellant asserts that he was
     not given proper instructions because he lacked the training to develop a work
     package with grounding plan or otherwise perform the work himself to avoid the
     electrical explosion. PFR File, Tab 1 at 8-15. He generally shifts the blame for
     the explosion to the employees that conducted the improper grounding,
     suggesting that he should not be held responsible for their mistakes.           Id.
     However, the instructions at issue did not require the appellant to perform the
     work or develop the plan independently, without the necessary expertise. Instead,
     the undisputed instructions were to coordinate with a foreman and systems
     engineer to develop the work package and grounding plan. ID at 6; IAF, Tab 35,
     Hearing Compact Disc (HCD), Day 1 (testimony of the appellant’s supervisor).
     That coordination is something the appellant acknowledges that he could have
     done, and it is consistent with the responsibilities of his Maintenance Coordinator
     position. PFR File, Tab 1 at 9; IAF, Tab 23, Subtab K. Had he followed those
     instructions, the systems engineer reportedly would have prevented the mistakes
     and resulting explosion. ID at 11 n.9; IAF, Tab 35, H CD, Day 2 (testimony of the
     systems engineer). Accordingly, the appellant has presented no basis for us to
     conclude that his alleged lack of expertise or the culpability of others is of any
     consequence to the failure to follow instructions charge underlying his removal.
¶8        The appellant’s petition contains several other broad arguments concerning
     his failure to follow instructions. For example, he alleges that the administrative
     judge “ignored agency witnesses[’] testimony that was contrary to management’s
     representations” and asserts that she “obviously did not factor in [agency]
     maintenance protocol that was detailed in testimony and confirmed by exhibits.”
     PFR File, Tab 1 at 14. However, these arguments are not supported by specific
     references to the record.    Without relevant details, such as what testimony,
     evidence, and maintenance protocols he is referring to, the appellant has
                                                                                         5

      presented no basis for us to disturb the administrative judge’s well -reasoned
      conclusion that the agency met its burden for this charge.            See Weaver v.
      Department of the Navy, 2 M.S.P.R. 129, 133 (1980) (recognizing that before the
      Board will undertake a complete review of the recor d, the petitioning party must
      explain why the challenged factual determination is incorrect and identify the
      specific evidence in the record that demonstrates the error); 5 C.F.R.
      § 1201.114(b) (requiring that a petition for review “be supported by references to
      applicable laws or regulations and by specific references to the record”).

            Charge 2 – Poor Performance
¶9         The administrative judge characterized the second charge underlying the
      appellant’s removal as one of poor performance, with separate specifications
      concerning:      (a)   the   planning   and   execution   of   high    hazard   jobs,
      (b) accountability and ownership, and (c) other areas. ID at 5, 15. She found that
      the agency failed to prove specifications (b) or (c) but nevertheless proved the
      charge based on specification (a) and the appellant’s involvement in the October
      2013 electrical explosion. ID at 12-20.
¶10        On review, the appellant first argues that the administrative judge
      improperly considered prejudicial testimony and records of previous performance
      issues that had been removed from his personnel file following a grievance.
      PFR File, Tab 1 at 15-16.      We disagree.    Although the administrative judge
      discussed the appellant’s prior performance issues, including actions that resulted
      from settlement of a related grievance, she explicitly noted that the information
      was provided only for purposes of background and context. ID at 13-14. Among
      other things, that background information explained how, when, and why the
      appellant moved into the position he held at the time of the October 2013
      explosion. ID at 14.
¶11        The appellant also presents a number of arguments specific to his
      performance as it relates to the October 2013 explosion.         PFR File, Tab 1
      at 15-22. For example, he asserts that any subpar performance concerning the
                                                                                             6

      electrical explosion should have been negated by the fact tha t he was forced to
      perform the duties of two positions at that time. Id. at 17. He also suggests that
      managers had not enforced agency maintenance guidelines before and were only
      doing so now because of the resulting mistake and explosion. Id. at 18. Again,
      the appellant has failed to identify any evidence to support these bare assertions.
      Therefore, they are unavailing.        See Weaver, 2 M.S.P.R. at 133; 5 C.F.R.
      § 1201.114(b). As detailed throughout the administrative judge’s well -reasoned
      findings, the appellant’s responsibilities included coordinating the work plan and
      temporary grounding of transformers in October 2013; his failure to do so
      contributed to grave results, including serious bodily harm to another employee
      and extensive damage to agency property, rendering his performance in the
      “planning and execution of high hazard jobs” unacceptable. ID at 2 -16, 20.

      The appellant failed to meet his burden of proving any affirmative defense.
¶12         Below, the appellant argued that his removal was improper retaliation for :
      (1) requesting an adjustment to his work schedule for child care purposes , and
      (2) filing a November 2011 grievance with the agency’s Employee Concerns
      Office. IAF, Tab 33 at 4-5. The administrative judge found that the first matter
      did not constitute any sort of protected activity. ID at 20 -21. She also found that,
      although    the   second    matter    was   protected    activity   under    5   U.S.C.
      § 2302(b)(9)(A)(ii), the appellant failed to meet his burden of establishing a
      genuine nexus between that protected activity, his filing of the November 2011
      grievance, and his removal. 2 ID at 21-23; see Warren v. Department of the Army,
      804 F.2d 654, 656-58 (Fed. Cir. 1986) (requiring that an appellant show that he

      2
        In its response to the appellant’s petition for review, the agency argues that the
      prohibited personnel practice the administrative judge found applicable to the
      appellant’s allegation of reprisal for a prior grievance is actually inapplicable because
      the Tennessee Valley Authority is a Government corporation. PFR File, Tab 3 at 8 n.3
      (citing 5 U.S.C. § 2302(a)(2)(C)(i) (defining “agency” for purposes of section 2302));
      ID at 21-22 (citing 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(9)(A)(ii)). Because the appellant has not
      reasserted this reprisal claim on review, we need not address the agency’s argument.
                                                                                             7

      engaged in protected activity, the accused official knew of t he activity, the
      adverse action under review could have been retaliation under the circumstances,
      and there was a genuine nexus between the alleged retaliation and the adverse
      action), superseded in part by statute as stated in Alarid v. Department of the
      Army, 122 M.S.P.R. 600, ¶ 15 (2015); Mattison v. Department of Veterans
      Affairs, 123 M.S.P.R. 492, ¶ 8 (2016) (explaining that the Warren standard no
      longer applies in many other contexts but does still apply for purposes of an
      affirmative defense of retaliation under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(9)(A)(ii) that does not
      involve equal employment opportunity activity protected under Title VII).
¶13         The appellant also asserted a race and sex discrimination affirmative
      defense below. IAF, Tab 1 at 6. The administrative judge found that although
      there was some evidence of prior management being unduly harsh in earlier years,
      the appellant failed to prove that race or sex discrimination was a motivating
      factor in his removal.      ID at 24-27; see Pridgen v. Office of Management
      & Budget, 2022 MSPB 31, ¶¶ 20-22 (setting forth the standards for an affirmative
      defense of race or sex discrimination, including the requirement that an appellant
      prove that the prohibited consideration was either a motivating factor, a but -for
      causation, or both, in the challenged personnel action). 3
¶14         On review, mixed with his arguments concerning the agency’s proof of its
      charges, the appellant uses the word “retaliation” in one instance, but does so
      without implicating either of the retaliation claims he previously raised.
      PFR File, Tab 1 at 5.        Instead, the appellant refers to “retaliation” while

      3
        Because we affirm the administrative judge’s finding that the appellant failed to meet
      his initial burden to prove that race or sex was a motivating factor in the agency’s
      actions, we need not resolve the issue of whether the appellant or the agency has the
      burden to prove that discrimination or retaliation was a “but-for” cause of the agency’s
      decisions. See Babb v. Wilkie, 589 U.S. ____, 140 S. Ct. 1168, 1173-74, 1176-78
      (2020) (holding that, in claims of discrimination in Federal employment arising under
      the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, an employer engages in illegal
      discrimination “if age discrimination plays any part in the way a decision is m ade,” but
      that an employee must prove the discrimination was a but -for cause of the agency’s
      action to obtain full relief).
                                                                                         8

      appearing to reassert his race discrimination claim. Id. The appellant alleges,
      generally, that African American managers were subject to disparate treatment at
      the agency. Id. at 5-6. According to the appellant, this was particularly so in
      years past, under prior management.        Id. at 16, 22-23.    The appellant also
      suggests that his most recent supervisors were racist and prejudic ed, “as
      demonstrated by the volatile language” they used to describe him.          Id. at 13,
      17-18.
¶15        The administrative judge fully addressed the aforementioned allegations.
      ID at 24-27.   Among other things, she recognized that the proposing official
      allegedly had referred to the appellant as arrogant and worthless but found that,
      even if true, the references had no racial connotation . ID at 24, 26. She also
      considered prior management’s alleged harsh treatment of subordinates but found
      that to have little bearing on whether current management had a discr iminatory
      motive in removing the appellant. ID at 25. The administrative judge concluded
      that, although the appellant presented broad allegations of discrimination, he
      failed to support his discrimination affirmative defense with detailed or specific
      evidence. ID at 26-27. We find no basis for reaching a different conclusion.
      Although the appellant generally has referred to the agency’s actions as
      discriminatory, he has done so without identifying specific support for the claim.
      See supra ¶ 14.        Therefore, we agree with the administrative judge’s
      well-reasoned conclusion that the appellant failed to meet his burden of proving
      that race or sex was a motivating factor in his removal.              See Pridgen,
      2022 MSPB 31, ¶¶ 20-25.

      The appellant has presented no other basis for disturbing the initial decision.
¶16        On review, the appellant challenges the administrative judge’s delay
      between the hearing and her issuance of the initial decision. PFR File, Tab 1
      at 6-7. It is clear, however, that the administrative judge at all times had access
      to the complete record, including the hearing compact disc. We find, therefore,
      that the appellant has not shown that the delay constituted an adjudicatory error
                                                                                      9

that prejudiced his substantive rights. See Panter v. Department of the Air Force,
22 M.S.P.R. 281, 282 (1984).            We also recognize that the appellant’s
representative has repeatedly expressed his personal views about several aspects
of the appellant’s employment and removal, citing his past experience as an
agency electrical operator, system dispatcher, and electrician. PFR File, Tab 1
at 22.    However, these assertions are unavailing.     The statements of a party’s
representative in a pleading do not constitute evidence. Marcantel v. Department
of Energy, 121 M.S.P.R. 330, ¶ 6 n.1 (2014).

                         NOTICE OF APPEAL RIGHTS 4
         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 and the rights described b elow 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.

4
  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 m atter.
                                                                                        10

      (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).
      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
                                                                                11

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
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:
                                                                                     12

                            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
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. 5   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

5
   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 by 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 competent jurisdiction.
The All Circuit Review Act is retroactive to November 26, 2017. Pub. L. No. 115 -195,
132 Stat. 1510.
                                                                              13

      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.
      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.