Court Opinion

ID: 9838612
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-07 06:00:18.059709+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:42:44.111676
License: Public Domain

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
                       MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD

     NATHANIEL J. GIBBY,                            DOCKET NUMBER
                   Appellant,                       AT-0752-18-0498-I-1

                  v.

     DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE,                   DATE: September 6, 2023
                 Agency.

           Nathaniel J. Gibby, Warner Robins, Georgia, pro se.

           Frank M. Wood, Esquire, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, for the agency.

                                          BEFORE

                              Cathy A. Harris, Vice Chairman
                               Raymond A. Limon, Member

                                          ORDER
¶1        The agency has filed a petition for review of the initial decision, which
     reversed the appellant’s removal. The two Board members cannot agree on the
     disposition of the petition for review.      Therefore, the initial decision now
     becomes the final decision of the Merit Systems Protection Board in this appeal.
     Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 1200.3(b) ( 5 C.F.R.
     § 1200.3(b)). This decision shall not be considered as precedent by the Board in
     any other case. 5 C.F.R. § 1200.3(d).
¶2        Based on the initial decision, which now becomes the final decision of the
     Board, the parties’ obligations are set out below:
¶3        The agency must cancel the removal and retroactively restore the appellant
     effective May 5, 2018. See Kerr v. National Endowment for the Arts, 726 F.2d
                                                                                        2

     730 (Fed. Cir. 1984). The agency must complete this action no later than 20 days
     after the date of this decision.
¶4         The agency must pay the appellant the correct amount of back pay, interest
     on back pay, and other benefits under the Office of Personnel Management’s
     regulations, no later than 60 calendar days after the date of this decision. The
     appellant must cooperate in good faith in the agency's efforts to calculate the
     amount of back pay, interest, and benefits due, and to provide all necessary
     information the agency requests to help it carry out its obligations. If there is a
     dispute about the amount of back pay, interest due, and/or other benefits, the
     agency must pay the appellant the undisputed amount no later than 60 calendar
     days after the date of this decision.
¶5         The agency must tell the appellant promptly in writing when it believes it
     has fully carried out its obligations and of the actions it took to carry out its
     obligations.    The appellant, if not notified, should ask the agency about its
     progress. See 5 C.F.R. § 1201.181(b).
¶6         No later than 30 days after the agency tells the appellant that it has fully
     carried out its obligations, the appellant may file a petition for enforcement with
     the office that issued the initial decision on this appeal if the appellant believes
     that the agency did not fully carry out its obligations. The petition should contain
     specific reasons why the appellant believes that the agency has not fully carried
     out its obligations, and should include the dates and results of any
     communications with the agency. 5 C.F.R. § 1201.182(a).
¶7         For agencies whose payroll is administered by either the National Finance
     Center of the Department of Agriculture (NFC) or the Defense Finance and
     Accounting Service (DFAS), two lists of the information and documentation
     necessary to process payments and adjustments resulting from a Board decision
     are attached.     The agency must timely provide DFAS or NFC with all
     documentation necessary to process payments and adjustments resulting from the
                                                                                 3

Board’s decision in accordance with the attached lists so that payment can be
made within the 60-day period set forth above.
      You must file your attorney fees motion with the office that issued the
initial decision on your appeal.

                     NOTICE TO THE APPELLANT
                 REGARDING YOUR RIGHT TO REQUEST
                     COMPENSATORY DAMAGES
      You may be entitled to be paid by the agency for your compensatory
damages, including pecuniary losses, future pecuniary losses, and nonpecuniary
losses, such as emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, and loss
of enjoyment of life. To be paid, you must meet the requirements set out at
42 U.S.C. § 1981a. The regulations may be found at 5 C.F.R. § 1201.202. If you
believe you meet these requirements, you must file a motion for compensatory
damages WITHIN 60 CALENDAR DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS DECISION.
You must file your motion with the office that issued the initial decision on your
appeal.

                NOTICE TO THE APPELLANT REGARDING
                   YOUR FURTHER REVIEW RIGHTS
      You have the right to request further review of the final decision. There
are several options for further review set forth in the paragraphs below. You may
choose only one of these options, and once you elect to pursue one of the avenues
of review set forth below, you may be precluded from pursuing any other avenue
of review.

Discrimination Claims: Administrative Review
      You may request review of this final decision on your discrimination
claims by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). See Title 5
of the United States Code, section 7702(b)(1) (5 U.S.C. § 7702(b)(1)). If you
submit your request by regular U.S. mail, the address of the EEOC is:
                                                                                    4

                           Office of Federal Operations
                    Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
                                 P.O. Box 77960
                            Washington, D.C. 20013

If you submit your request 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, NE
                                  Suite 5SW12G
                            Washington, D.C. 20507

      You should send your request to EEOC no later than 30 calendar days after
your receipt of this order. If you have a representative in this case, and your
representative receives this order before you do, then you must file with EEOC no
later than 30 calendar days after receipt by your representative. If you choose to
file, be very careful to file on time.

Discrimination and Other Claims: Judicial Action
      If you do not request EEOC to review this final decision on your
discrimination claims, you may file a civil action against the agency on both your
discrimination claims and your other claims in an appropriate United States
district court. See 5 U.S.C. § 7703(b)(2). You must file your civil action with
the district court no later than 30 calendar days after your receipt of this order. If
you have a representative in this case, and your representa tive receives this order
before you do, then you must file with the district court no later than 30 calendar
days after receipt by your representative. If you choose to file, be very careful to
file on time. If the action involves a claim of discriminati on 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.          42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f) and
29 U.S.C. § 794a.
                                                                                   5

Other Claims: Judicial Review
         If you want to request review of the Board’s decision concerning your
claims of prohibited personnel practices described in 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8),
(b)(9)(A)(i), (b)(9)(B), (b)(9)(C), or (b)(9)(D), but you do not w ant to challenge
the Board’s disposition of any other claims of prohibited personnel practices, you
may request the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or any
court of appeals of competent jurisdiction to review this final decision. The court
of appeals must receive your petition for review within 60 days after the date of
this order. See 5 U.S.C. § 7703(b)(1)(B) (as rev. eff. Dec. 27, 2012). If you
choose to file, be very careful to file on time.
         If you need further information about your right to appeal this decision to
court, you should refer to the federal law that gives you this right. It is found in
Title 5 of the United States Code, section 7703 (5 U.S.C. § 7703) (as rev. eff.
Dec. 27, 2012). You may read this law as well as other sections of the United
States     Code,    at   our   website,   https://www.mspb.gov/appeals/uscode.htm.
Additional information about the United States 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, and 11.
Additional information about other courts of appeals can be found at their
respective         websites,      which      can      be      accessed      through
http://www.uscourts.gov/Court_Locator/CourtWebsites.aspx.
         If you are interested in securing pro bono representation for an appeal to
the United States 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 Merit Systems Protection Board neither endorses the services
                                                                                 6

provided by any attorney nor warrants that any attorney will accept representation
in a given case.

FOR THE BOARD:                           /s/ for
                                         Jennifer Everling
                                         Acting Clerk of the Board
Washington, D.C.
                                 DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE
                                           Civilian Pay Operations

                          DFAS BACK PAY CHECKLIST
The following documentation is required by DFAS Civilian Pay to compute and pay back pay
pursuant to 5 CFR § 550.805. Human resources/local payroll offices should use the following
checklist to ensure a request for payment of back pay is complete. Missing documentation may
substantially delay the processing of a back pay award. More information may be found at:
https://wss.apan.org/public/DFASPayroll/Back%20Pay%20Process/Forms/AllItems.aspx.

NOTE: Attorneys’ fees or other non-wage payments (such as damages) are paid by
vendor pay, not DFAS Civilian Pay.

☐ 1) Submit a “SETTLEMENT INQUIRY - Submission” Remedy Ticket. Please identify the
       specific dates of the back pay period within the ticket comments.

Attach the following documentation to the Remedy Ticket, or provide a statement in the ticket
comments as to why the documentation is not applicable:

☐ 2) Settlement agreement, administrative determination, arbitrator award, or order.

☐ 3) Signed and completed “Employee Statement Relative to Back Pay”.

☐ 4) All required SF50s (new, corrected, or canceled). ***Do not process online SF50s
       until notified to do so by DFAS Civilian Pay.***

☐ 5) Certified timecards/corrected timecards. ***Do not process online timecards until
       notified to do so by DFAS Civilian Pay.***

☐ 6) All relevant benefit election forms (e.g. TSP, FEHB, etc.).

☐ 7) Outside earnings documentation. Include record of all amounts earned by the employee
       in a job undertaken during the back pay period to replace federal employment.
       Documentation includes W-2 or 1099 statements, payroll documents/records, etc. Also,
       include record of any unemployment earning statements, workers’ compensation,
       CSRS/FERS retirement annuity payments, refunds of CSRS/FERS employee premiums,
       or severance pay received by the employee upon separation.

Lump Sum Leave Payment Debts: When a separation is later reversed, there is no authority
under 5 U.S.C. § 5551 for the reinstated employee to keep the lump sum annual leave payment
they may have received. The payroll office must collect the debt from the back pay award. The
annual leave will be restored to the employee. Annual leave that exceeds the annual leave
ceiling will be restored to a separate leave account pursuant to 5 CFR § 550.805(g).
NATIONAL FINANCE CENTER CHECKLIST FOR BACK PAY CASES
Below is the information/documentation required by National Finance Center to process
payments/adjustments agreed on in Back Pay Cases (settlements, restorations) or as ordered by
the Merit Systems Protection Board, EEOC, and courts.
1. Initiate and submit AD-343 (Payroll/Action Request) with clear and concise information
   describing what to do in accordance with decision.
2. The following information must be included on AD-343 for Restoration:
       a.   Employee name and social security number.
       b.   Detailed explanation of request.
       c.   Valid agency accounting.
       d.   Authorized signature (Table 63).
       e.   If interest is to be included.
       f.   Check mailing address.
       g.   Indicate if case is prior to conversion. Computations must be attached.
       h.   Indicate the amount of Severance and Lump Sum Annual Leave Payment to be
            collected (if applicable).
Attachments to AD-343
1. Provide pay entitlement to include Overtime, Night Differential, Shift Premium, Sunday
   Premium, etc. with number of hours and dates for each entitlement (if applicable).
2. Copies of SF-50s (Personnel Actions) or list of salary adjustments/changes and amounts.
3. Outside earnings documentation statement from agency.
4. If employee received retirement annuity or unemployment, provide amount and address to
   return monies.
5. Provide forms for FEGLI, FEHBA, or TSP deductions. (if applicable)
6. If employee was unable to work during any or part of the period involved, certification of the
   type of leave to be charged and number of hours.
7. If employee retires at end of Restoration Period, provide hours of Lump Sum Annual Leave
   to be paid.
NOTE: If prior to conversion, agency must attach Computation Worksheet by Pay Period and
required data in 1-7 above.
The following information must be included on AD-343 for Settlement Cases: (Lump Sum
Payment, Correction to Promotion, Wage Grade Increase, FLSA, etc.)
       a. Must provide same data as in 2, a-g above.
       b. Prior to conversion computation must be provided.
       c. Lump Sum amount of Settlement, and if taxable or non-taxable.
If you have any questions or require clarification on the above, please contact NFC’s
Payroll/Personnel Operations at 504-255-4630.