Perez v. United States Government

899 F. Supp. 2d 90, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147402, 2012 WL 4829463
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedSeptember 19, 2012
DocketCivil No. 09-1996 (DRD)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 899 F. Supp. 2d 90 (Perez v. United States Government) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Perez v. United States Government, 899 F. Supp. 2d 90, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147402, 2012 WL 4829463 (prd 2012).

Opinion

ORDER AND JUDGMENT

DANIEL R. DOMINGUEZ, District Judge.

Pending before the Court are: (a) plaintiffs’ Motion Requesting Order, Docket [92]*92No. 55; and (b) the Government’s Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion Requesting Order, Docket No. 58. For the reasons set forth below, plaintiffs’ motion is denied.

Factual and Procedural Background

The factual scenario that triggered the instant action stemmed on or about July 2005, when DHS’s Headquarters were short of personnel and “sought special agent volunteers [at least two volunteers from the San Juan office] for lateral transfers to the Washington, D.C., office due to a personnel shortage.” See Docket No. 53-2, DHS’ letter of June 22, 2009, which includes the findings and analysis of the agency related to Acevedo’s administrative claim. See also Complaint, Docket No. 1, ¶ 15. The Court notes that at least one employee volunteered in response to DHS’ request, that is, Edward Owens, and his transfer was approved. See Complaint, Docket No. 1, ¶ 16. In view of the fact that there were no more volunteers and/or with the qualifications required by the DHS, then the San Juan Office through Acting Special Agent in Charge Lydia St. John-Mellado prepared a list of four agents based on seniority to select another agent GS-14 to be reassigned to DHS’ Headquarters. See Complaint, Docket No. 1, ¶¶ 15 and 16.

On or about September 7, 2005, Acevedo received a letter dated September 6, 2005 from Marcy M. Foreman, Director from the United States and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) informing plaintiff of his assignment to DHS’ Headquarters “in line with my priority of strengthening internal staffing in key positions. See Docket No. 32-2, pages 77-78. On or about September 7, 2005, Acevedo “accepted the reassignment on September 22, 2005.” See Docket No. 53-2. Acevedo’s date to enter on duty was January 8, 2006. See Docket No. 32-2, letter from plaintiff to John M. Gaudioso from ICE.

Due to personal family problems, Acevedo requested two extensions of time to relocate, and the same were granted by the DHS. Acevedo’s third request for extension of time was denied by the DHS, as Acevedo’s personal family problem depends on a state court ruling, and at the time, it was uncertain when the court was going to issue the ruling.1 Based on this scenario, Acevedo decided to retire on March 3, 2006, and now claims constructive discharge. See Complaint, Docket No. 1, ¶ 21.

The instant case was filed on September 30, 2009 by plaintiff Santiago Acevedo Pérez and others against the United States Government, the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Janet Napolitano, Lydia St. John-Mellado, and other unknown defendants. Plaintiff Acevedo claims that “he was forced to resign (constructive discharge)” based on his request not to relocate to Headquarters, on personal family reasons. See Complaint, Docket No. 1, page 6. Plaintiff Acevedo further claims that he “was humiliated, retaliated, discriminated, harassed, persecuted” by his supervisors and his peers. Id.

Acevedo also claims that his constitutional right to due process has been violated, and claims damages under Articles 1802 and 1803 of the Puerto Rico Civil Code, 31 L.P.R.A. §§ 5141, 5142. His federal claim is premised on 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and also jurisdiction under Title VII.2 It is [93]*93important to make reference to plaintiffs’ Complaint, Docket No. 1, pages 1-2, in order to better illustrate plaintiffs’ claims:

3. This Honorable Court has jurisdiction under Title VII, 42, and others et. als. of the United States Code, Section 1983, Civil Rights Act 1964, and Federal Labor Laws.
4. Plaintiff invoke the Constitutional Right to Due Process under the U.S. Constitution and under the Puerto Rico Constitution under the supplemental jurisdiction principles in the interest of judicial efficiency and economy.
5. Plaintiff also invoke the article 1802 and 1803 of Puerto Rico Civil Code and the Puerto Rico Law against discrimination, and Puerto Rico Labor Laws under the supplemental jurisdiction principles in the interest of judicial efficiency and economy.

A Status Conference was held in the instant case on September 5, 2012, Docket No. 54. During the course of the conference, the Court reviewed the new documents filed by plaintiffs, as the record was incomplete. See Minutes of August 30, 2012, Docket No. 50. Plaintiffs were further ordered to brief the Court on or before September 4, 2012 by 3:00 p.m., (a) whether there are any tolling events between March 2006 and September 30, 2009, the filing date of the complaint; and (b) whether plaintiff Acevedo timely exhausted the administrative remedies. See Minutes of August 30, 2012, Docket No. 50. As of this date, plaintiffs have failed to address the tolling issue.

Upon reviewing the new documents filed by plaintiffs, the Court found that the instant action is time barred, and plaintiffs agreed with the analysis made by the Court. See Minutes of September 5, 2012, Docket No. 54. Notwithstanding, plaintiffs filed a Motion Requesting Order on September 6, 2012, Docket No. 55, alleging that the other causes of action are not time barred.

The Government filed its opposition on September 11, 2012, Docket No. 58. Generally, the Government alleges that: (a) plaintiffs have never filed a claim under the Federal Torts Claim Act (“FTCA”); (b) “[a] discrimination claim at any agency cannot be construed as an all-encompassing claim for any imaginable potential claim against it, its head or individual employees;” (c) plaintiffs’ argument that the FTCA and Title VII claims’ statute of limitations is 180 days from the notice of right to sue of the agency decision, is not supported in the record with any legal authorities; (d) some claims under the Puerto Rico torts’ statute, that is, Articles 1802 and 1803 of the Puerto Rico Civil Code, and “other claims, such as, retaliation and harassment, were not even alleged in the complaint; and (e) “[rjegarding constitutional torts, Plaintiffs are even in a worst shape, since they never made any single claim against any individual defendant, administratively or otherwise, nor served them with a copy of the Complaint.” See Docket No. 58.

Legal Analysis

A. DHS’ Final Determination Letter and the Time to File an Appeal.

The DHS determined that “a finding of no discrimination is appropriate in this matter,” after a thorough analysis of plain[94]*94tiff Acevedo’s claims of national origin; age discrimination, and constructive discharge. See Docket No. 53-2. The Court finds most relevant the findings made by the DHS, albeit the Court is cognizant that the agency’s findings are not binding:

Forced retirement is also included in the scope of constructive discharge. Schafer v. Bd. of Pub. Educ., 903 F.2d 243, 248-49 (3d Cir.1990). However, the complainant “has an obligation not to assume the worst and jump to conclusions too quickly. [A complainant] who quits without giving [management] a reasonable chance to work out a problem has not been constructively discharged.” Phillips v.

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Bluebook (online)
899 F. Supp. 2d 90, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147402, 2012 WL 4829463, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/perez-v-united-states-government-prd-2012.