Sleeping With the Enemy: Immigration Fraud, by Tom Flocco

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD

MARY SCHNEIDER, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Agency.

DOCKET NUMBER AT -1221-00-0263-W-2

DATE: JUL 2, 2002

Shoshanha Essakhar, Esquire, Beverly Hills, California, for the appellant.

Laurence Zieff, Esquire, South Burlington, Vermont, for the agency.

BEFORE

Susanne T. Marshall, Acting Chairman

Beth S. Slavet, Member

FINAL ORDER

The agency has filed a petition for review III this case asking us to reconsider the initial decision issued by the administrative judge. We grant petitions such as this one only when significant new evidence is presented to us that was not available for consideration earlier or when the administrative judge made an error interpreting a law or regulation. The regulation that establishes this standard of review is found in 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 there is no new, previously unavailable, evidence and that the administrative judge made no error in law or regulation that affects the outcome. 5 C.F .R. § 1201.115( d). Therefore, we DENY the petition for review. The initial decision of the administrative judge is final. This is the Board's final decision in this matter. 5 C.F.R. § 1201.113.

We ORDER the agency to cancel the 30-day suspension action taken against the appellant and to restore her to the status quo ante. We further ORDER the agency to cancel the appellant's September 1998 absence without leave (AWOL) status action and to amend her records to reflect that she was in a duty status.

We ORDER the agency to inform the appellant in writing of all actions taken to comply with this order and the date on which it believes it has fully complied. If not notified, the appellant must ask the agency about its efforts to comply before filing a petition for enforcement with this office. See Kerr v. National Endowment for the Arts, 726 F.2d 730 (Fed. Cir. 1984). The agency must complete this action no later than 20 days after the date of this decision.

We also ORDER the agency to 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. We ORDER the appellant to 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 the Board's Order. If there is a dispute about the amount of back pay, interest due, and/or other benefits, we ORDER the agency to pay the appellant the undisputed amount no later than 60 calendar days after the date of this decision.

We further ORDER the agency to tell the appellant promptly in writing when it believes it has fully carried out the Board's Order and of the actions it took to carry out the Board's Order. The appellant, if not notified, should ask the agency about its progress. See 5 C.F.R. § 1201.181 (b).

No later than 30 days after the agency tells the appellant that it has fully carried out the Board's Order, 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 the Board's Order. The petition should contain specific reasons why the appellant believes that the agency has not fully carried out the Board's Order, and should include the dates and results of any communications with the agency. 5 C.F.R. § 1201.182(a).

NOTICE TO THE APPELLANT REGARDING YOUR RIGHT TO REQUEST ATTORNEY FEES AND COSTS

You may be entitled to be paid by the agency for your reasonable attorney fees and costs. To be paid, you must meet the requirements set out at Title 5 of the United States Code (5 U.S.C.), sections 7701 (g), 1221(g), or 1214(g). 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 attorney fees WITHIN 60 CALENDAR DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS DECISION. 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 CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES

You may be entitled to be paid by the agency for your consequential damages, including medical costs incurred, travel expenses, and any other reasonable and foreseeable consequential damages. To be paid, you must meet the requirements set out at 5 U.S.C. §§ 1214(g) or 1221 (g). 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 consequential 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 PARTIES

A copy of the decision will then be referred to the Special Counsel "to investigate and take appropriate action under [5 U.S.C.] section 1215," based on the determination that "there is reason to believe that a current employee may have committed a prohibited personnel practice" under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8). 5 U.S.C. § 1221(f)(3).

NOTICE TO THE APPELLANT REGARDING YOUR FURTHER REVIEW RIGHTS

You have the right to request the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to review this final decision. You must submit your request to the court at the following address:

United States Court of Appeals
for the Federal Circuit
717 Madison Place, N.W.
Washington, DC 20439

The court must receive your request for review no later than 60 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 the court no later than 60 calendar days after receipt by your representative. If you choose to file, be very careful to file on time. The court has held that normally it does not have the authority to waive this statutory deadline and that filings that do not comply with the deadline must be dismissed. See Pinat v. Office of Personnel Management, 931 F.2d 1544 (Fed. Cir. 1991).

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). You may read this law as well as review other related material at our web site, http://www.mspb.gov.

FOR THE BOARD:
Bentley M. Roberts, Jr.
Clerk of the Board
Washington, D.C.