Frank L. Haynes v. Charles S. Thomas, Individually and as Secretary of the Navy

232 F.2d 688, 98 U.S. App. D.C. 131, 1956 U.S. App. LEXIS 3079
CourtCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
DecidedApril 19, 1956
Docket12807_1
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 232 F.2d 688 (Frank L. Haynes v. Charles S. Thomas, Individually and as Secretary of the Navy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Frank L. Haynes v. Charles S. Thomas, Individually and as Secretary of the Navy, 232 F.2d 688, 98 U.S. App. D.C. 131, 1956 U.S. App. LEXIS 3079 (D.C. Cir. 1956).

Opinions

WILBUR K. MILLER, Circuit Judge.

The question on this appeal is whether a person holding an indefinite appointment as a civilian employee of the Navy is, during his trial or probationary period of service, a “civilian officer or employee” who may not be discharged for security reasons without observance of the procedures prescribed by an Act of August 26, 1950, 64 Stat. 476, 5 U.S.C.A. § 22-1 et seq., Public Law 733, 81st Cong., 2d Sess.

Frank L. Ilaynes was given an indefinite appointment May 25, 1953, as an [690]*690engineering draftsman at the New York Naval Shipyard, “[s]ubject to trial period which ends on 5/24/54.” On or about February 3, 1954, the Commander of the Shipyard advised Haynes by registered mail as follows:

“In connection with the Government’s security program, information has been received which raises a question concerning your fitness for continued employment. In order to help resolve this matter, it is requested that you fill out the questionnaire attached hereto * *

Haynes answered the questionnaire. March 25, 1954, he was informed by Commander Andrews of the Shipyard it had been initially determined that he was a poor security risk, and that he — Andrews — was to interview him concerning his answers to the questionnaire. The interview was had.

March 31, 1954, Haynes’ counsel requested of the Commanding Admiral a period of thirty days within which to submit statements and affidavits refuting the charges against him. Instead of granting the request, the Admiral issued April 7,1954, and sent to Haynes a Notification of Personnel Action, the nature of which was therein described as “Separation (Disqualification) during trial period.” The notice contained the following:

“You were given an indefinite appointment as Engineering Draftsman GS-4, on 25 May 1953, subject to satisfactory completion of a trial period of one year, including investigation with satisfactory results. Investigation has disclosed that you and your wife registered under the American Labor Party; that your wife was the Recording Secretary of an organization which has been designated by the Attorney General of the United States pursuant to Executive Order 10450 [5 U.S.C.A. § 631 note]; and that her name appeared in two articles of a Communist front publication. You were given written interrogatories and subsequently orally interviewed. Your explanations were considered but not deemed satisfactory.
“Accordingly, your appointment will be terminated at the close of business on the date shown in item 6 above [April 9, 1954].”

After an unsuccessful attempt to appeal to the Civil Service Commission, Haynes sued for a declaratory judgment that he had been wrongfully discharged, and for an order directing the Secretary of the Navy to reinstate him. The District Court dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief could be granted, and Haynes appeals from that ruling.

We have said repeatedly that courts will not review the action of executive officials in dismissing executive employees except to insure compliance with statutory requirements. Bailey v. Richardson, 1950, 86 U.S.App.D.C. 248, 266, 182 F.2d 46, 64 (and the cases there cited in note 69). We also said in the Bailey opinion “that the President, absent congressional restriction, may remove from Government service any person of whose loyalty he is not completely convinced. He may do so without assigning any reason and without giving the employee any explanatory notice. * * *” 86 U.S.App.D.C. at page 267, 182 F.2d at page 65.

It is therefore necessary to ascertain whether the dismissal of Haynes was ordered after compliance with applicable statutory requirements. He insists he was entitled to the benefit of the procedures set up in the Act of August 26, 1950, which admittedly were not followed. The appellee contends that Act does not relate to the separation of employees during their probationary service. The question is then whether the statute was applicable. We turn to the Act for the answer.

Public Law 733 authorizes the Secretary of the Navy (and various other department and agency heads) “in his absolute discretion and when deemed necessary in the interest of national se[691]*691curity” to suspend, without pay, “any civilian officer or employee.” Several provisos which follow the grant of this power of suspension prescribe procedures which the agency head must follow before the suspended employee may be discharged. Two of these limiting provisions are pertinent here:

First Proviso. “ * * * Provided, That to the extent that such agency head determines that the interests of the national security permit, the employee concerned shall be notified of the reasons for his suspension and within thirty days after such notification any such person shall have an opportunity to submit any statements or affidavits to the official designated by the head of the agency concerned to show why he should be reinstated or restored to duty. The agency head concerned may, following such investigation and review as he deems necessary, terminate the employment of such suspended civilian officer or employee whenever he shall determine such termination necessary or advisable in the interest of the national security of the United States, and such determination by the agency head concerned shall be conclusive and final * * *”

Second Proviso. “ * * * Provided further, That any employee having a permanent or indefinite appointment, and having completed his probationary or trial period, who is a citizen of the United States whose employment is suspended under the authority of sections 22-1 to 22-3 of this title, shall be given after his suspension and before his employment is terminated under the authority of said sections, (1) a written statement within thirty days after his suspension of the charges against him, which shall be subject to amendment within thirty days thereafter and which shall be stated as specifically as security considerations permit; (2) an opportunity within thirty days thereafter (plus an additional thirty days if the charges are amended) to answer such charges and to submit affidavits; (3) a hearing, at the employee’s request, by a duly constituted agency authority for this purpose; (4) a review of his case by the agency head, or some official designated by him, before a decision adverse to the employee is made final; and (5) a written statement of the decision of the agency head *• » *»

The somewhat summary procedure prescribed in the first proviso governs the suspension and dismissal of “any civilian officer or employee” for national security reasons. The more detailed and more protective procedure set up in the second proviso is to be followed in the suspension and dismissal for those reasons of “any employee having a permanent or indefinite appointment, and having completed his probationary or trial period, who is a citizen of the United States.” The appellant is an American citizen and had an indefinite appointment, but, because he had not completed his probationary or trial period, he was not entitled to the benefit of the second proviso’s procedure. Whether he was entitled to have the simpler procedure of the first proviso followed is the question.

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232 F.2d 688, 98 U.S. App. D.C. 131, 1956 U.S. App. LEXIS 3079, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frank-l-haynes-v-charles-s-thomas-individually-and-as-secretary-of-the-cadc-1956.