Court Opinion

ID: 9373049
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-22 16:02:21.613507+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:39.441275
License: Public Domain

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
                        MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD

     GIANNA CASTRO,                                  DOCKET NUMBER
                  Appellant,                         AT-0752-17-0200-I-1

                  v.

     DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,                          DATE: January 23, 2023
                 Agency.

             THIS FINAL ORDER IS NONPRECEDENTIAL 1

           Angelo Filippi, Esquire, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the appellant.

           Jeffrey N. Poulin, Springfield, Virginia, 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
     dismissed her termination appeal for lack of jurisdiction.       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

     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        A nonprecedential order is one that the Board has determined does not add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 Parties may cite nonprecedential orders,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 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 to clarify why the suitability regulations of the Office of
     Personnel Management (OPM) are not a source of jurisdiction over this appeal ,
     we AFFIRM the initial decision.
¶2         Approximately 4 months into her excepted-service appointment, the
     appellant was terminated during her trial period for her alleged lack of candor in
     her application for employment with the agency. Initial Appeal File (IAF), Tab 1
     at 7-9, Tab 2 at 3. On appeal to the Board, she argued, among other things, that
     her termination constituted a suitability action.     IAF, Tab 9 at 1 3-15.       The
     administrative judge found that the appellant failed to make a nonfrivolous
     allegation of Board jurisdiction, and he dismissed her appeal without holding the
     requested hearing. IAF, Tab 11, Initial Decision (ID). He concluded that she had
     failed to nonfrivolously allege that she had accrued adverse action appeal rights
     under 5 U.S.C. chapter 75, ID at 2-4, or that she was denied procedures set forth
     in   5 C.F.R. §     315.805    concerning    terminations for    conditions arising
     preappointment, 2 ID at 4-5. He further determined that she had failed to make a

     2
       The appellant has not challenged these findings on review, and we find no material
     error in the administrative judge’s analysis. Because the appellant was serving in the
     excepted service, the regulatory right of appeal on the limited grounds set forth in
     5 C.F.R. § 315.806 may not have even been available to her.              See 5 C.F.R.
     § 210.101(b). Regardless, we find no reason to disturb the administrative judge’s
                                                                                                3

     nonfrivolous allegation that she was in a position covered by OPM’s suitability
     regulations at 5 C.F.R. part 731 or that she had been subjected to a suitability
     action as defined in those regulations. ID at 5-6.
¶3         On petition for review, the appellant argues that her position was covered
     by the suitability regulations and that her termination was a suitability action.
     Petition for Review (PFR) File, Tab 1 at 3-6. A position in the excepted service
     where the incumbent can be noncompetitively converted to the competitive
     service constitutes a covered position.        5 C.F.R. § 731.101(b).        The Standard
     Form 50 (SF-50) documenting the appellant’s appointment states that her
     appointment may be converted to a career appointment in not less than 3 years
     and not more than 4 years. IAF, Tab 10 at 22. Thus, as the agency seems to
     acknowledge on review, it appears the appellant was in a covered position. PFR
     File, Tab 3 at 11.
¶4         We nevertheless find that she failed to nonfrivolously allege that her
     termination was a suitability action under OPM’s regulations. 3 As a preliminary
     matter, we find no documents or alleged facts in the record that would support the
     appellant’s claim that this was a suitability action. For instance, t he proposal and
     decision letters make no reference to the agency making a suitability
     determination, taking a suitability action, or otherwise finding that the appellant
     had made a material, intentional false statement, or deception or fraud in
     examination or appointment.         IAF, Tab 1 at 7-10, Tab 2 at 3.             The SF-50

     alternative analysis that the process provided to the appellant satisfied the requirements
     of 5 C.F.R. § 315.805.
     3
       A nonfrivolous allegation is an assertion that, if proven, could establish the matter at
     issue. 5 C.F.R. § 1201.4(s). An allegation generally will be considered non frivolous
     when, under oath or penalty of perjury, an individual makes an allegation that is more
     than conclusory, is plausible on its face, and is material to the legal issues in the appeal.
     Id.
                                                                                          4

     documenting her termination referenced 5 C.F.R. § 315.805, rather than part 731,
     as the legal authority for the action. 4 IAF, Tab 2 at 4.
¶5         The appellant asserts that the agency’s finding that she lacked candor in her
     application is akin to a finding that she had made a “material, intentional false
     statement, or deception or fraud in examination or appointment,” which is a factor
     upon which a suitability action may be taken. PFR File, Tab 1 at 5; see 5 C.F.R.
     § 731.202(b)(3). However, the appellant has failed to allege facts that, if proven,
     would show that the agency’s lack-of-candor finding was equivalent to a finding
     of a “material, intentional false statement, or deception or fraud in examination or
     appointment.” IAF, Tab 9 at 13-15; PFR File, Tab 1 at 3-6; see, e.g., Ludlum v.
     Department of Justice, 278 F.3d 1280, 1283-85 (Fed. Cir. 2002) (explaining that
     lack of candor and falsification are different, though related, forms of
     misconduct). Moreover, OPM has not delegated authority to employing agencies
     to take suitability actions in matters involving a “material, intentional false
     statement, or deception or fraud in examination or appointment,” 5 C.F.R.
     § 731.103(g), and OPM’s suitability regulations are not a source of jurisdiction
     when an employing agency exceeds its delegated authority, see Edwards v.
     Department of State, 98 M.S.P.R. 481, ¶ 7 (2005); 5 C.F.R. § 731.501(a).

     4
       Guidance from OPM suggests citing the legal authority for a trial period termination
     for preappointment reasons as “Reg 315.805 Eq,” indicating the action was taken
     pursuant to agency procedures equivalent to those required under the civil service laws
     and regulations, or under other procedures. Guide to Process ing Personnel Actions,
     Chapter 31, available at www.opm.gov/feddata/gppa/Gppa31.pdf. The administrative
     judge’s statement that the termination “was explicitly taken as an adverse action
     pursuant to [5 U.S.C. c]hapter 75,” ID at 6, is not supported by any document or
     nonfrivolous allegation of fact in the record, but we find this statement immaterial to
     the outcome. The appellant has failed to make a nonfrivolous allegation that the
     termination was a suitability action under 5 C.F.R. part 731, and she has not contested
     the administrative judge’s separate, explained conclusion that she failed to make a
     nonfrivolous allegation that she possessed adverse action appeal rights under 5 U.S.C.
     chapter 75. ID at 2-4; see 5 U.S.C. §§ 7511, 7512, 7513(d).
                                                                                             5

¶6         Accordingly, we find that the appellant has failed to nonfrivolously allege a
     basis for the Board’s jurisdiction over this matter as a suitability action or on any
     other theory. 5

                               NOTICE OF APPEAL RIGHTS 6
            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

     5
       The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, Pub. L. No. 114 -92,
     § 1086(f)(9), 129 Stat. 726, 1010 (2015), amended 5 U.S.C. § 7512 to state that
     5 U.S.C. chapter 75, subchapter II, “does not apply to . . . a suitability action taken by
     [OPM] under regulations prescribed by [OPM], subject to the rules prescribed by the
     President under [title 5] for the administration of the competitive service.” 5 U.S.C.
     § 7512(F). Given our finding that the appellant failed to make a nonfrivolous allegation
     that her termination was a suitability action under OPM’s regulations, we do not
     consider the effect, if any, of section 7512(F) on this appeal, an issue that has not been
     addressed by either party.
     6
       Since the issuance of the initial decision in this matter, the Board may have up dated
     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.
                                                                                          6

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).
      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 partic ular
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 that such action
was based, in whole or in part, on unlawful discrimination. If so, you may obtain
                                                                                  7

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 re ceives 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
                                                                                      8

      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
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 sec tion
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. 7   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:

7
   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.
                                                                                9

                             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.
      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.