Neil Quinlan v. Department of Defense ( 2024 )

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD
NEIL FREDERICK QUINLAN, SR., DOCKET NUMBER
Appellant, PH-1221-17-0247-W-1
v.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DATE: February 2, 2024
Agency.
THIS FINAL ORDER IS NONPRECEDENTIAL 1
Neil Frederick Quinlan, Sr. , New Castle, Delaware, pro se.
Lida V. KiaNoury , Esquire, and Wayne Bober , Esquire, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, for the agency.
BEFORE
Cathy A. Harris, Vice Chairman
Raymond A. Limon, Member
FINAL ORDER
The appellant has filed a petition for review of the initial decision, which
denied his request for corrective action in this individual right of action appeal. 2
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A nonprecedential order is one that the Board has determined does not add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 Parties may cite nonprecedential orders,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
During the pendency of this appeal, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2018 (NDAA), Pub. L. No. 115-91, 131 Stat. 1283, was signed into law on
December 12, 2017. Section 1097 of the NDAA amended various provisions of Title 5
of the U.S. Code. Our decision to affirm the initial decision would be the same under
both pre- and post-NDAA law.
2
On petition for review, the appellant argues that the initial decision contains
erroneous findings of material fact and that the administrative judge gave
insufficient weight to his claims of reprisal. 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 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. 3 Therefore, we DENY the petition for review. Except as expressly
MODIFIED to clarify one factor of the agency’s burden of proof, we AFFIRM the
initial decision, which is now the Board’s final decision. 5 C.F.R. § 1201.113(b).
In finding that the agency showed by clear and convincing evidence that it
would have taken the same personnel actions absent the appellant’s
whistleblowing, the administrative judge properly relied on the factors set forth in
Carr v. Social Security Administration, 185 F.3d 1318, 1323 (Fed. Cir. 1999).
Quinlan v. Department of Defense, MSPB Docket No. PH-1221-17-0247-W-1,
Initial Decision (ID) at 19-24 (Jan. 18, 2018). Regarding Carr factor #3, the
administrative judge found that the appellant had not identified any other
3
The appellant includes two documents with his petition for review—an October 2008
email and a July 2008 memorandum. Petition for Review File, Tab 1 at 5-8. We find
that these documents do not warrant disturbing the initial decision because the appellant
has not shown that they were unavailable before the record closed despite his due
diligence or that they are of sufficient weight to warrant a different outcome. See
Turner v. U.S. Postal Service, 123 M.S.P.R. 640, ¶ 13 n.2 (2016), aff’d per curium,
681 F. App’x 934 (Fed. Cir. 2017); Russo v. Veterans Administration, 3 M.S.P.R. 345,
349 (1980); 5 C.F.R. § 1201.115(d).
3
similarly situated employee who was not a whistleblower, and that, in the absence
of such evidence and in consideration of the strength of the other Carr factors,
the agency met its burden. ID at 22-23. In analyzing Carr factor #3, however,
the administrative judge appeared to place the burden of proof on the appellant
rather than on the agency, where it belongs. See Miller v. Department of Justice,
842 F.3d 1252, 1262 (Fed. Cir. 2016). In fact, the agency did not present any
specific evidence in support of Carr factor #3.
Carr does not impose an affirmative burden on the agency to produce
evidence with respect to each of the Carr factors or to weigh them individually in
the agency’s favor, and the absence of any evidence relating to Carr factor #3 can
effectively remove that factor from the analysis. Whitmore v. Department of
Labor, 680 F.3d 1353, 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2012). However, “the Government’s
failure to produce evidence on this factor ‘may be at the agency’s peril’
considering the Government’s advantage in accessing this type of evidence.”
Miller, 842 F.3d at 1262 (quoting Whitmore, 680 F.3d at 1374). Nevertheless, we
agree with the administrative judge’s findings that the agency demonstrated
strong evidence in support of its personnel actions and that the responsible
agency official possessed no motive to retaliate. ID at 19-23. Thus, to the extent
the administrative judge erred in assigning the burden of proof as to Carr
factor #3 to the appellant, the error did not prejudice his substantive rights. See
Panter v. Department of the Air Force, 22 M.S.P.R. 281, 282 (1984) (finding that
an adjudicatory error that is not prejudicial to a party’s substantive rights
provides no basis for reversal of an initial decision) .
The appellant asserts that the administrative judge’s finding that the agency
proved by clear and convincing evidence that it would have taken the personnel
actions absent his whistleblowing demonstrated “bias in favor of the ‘leadership
team’ and the status quo.” Petition for Review File, Tab 1 at 4. In making a
claim of bias or prejudice against an administrative judge, a party must overcome
the presumption of honesty and integrity that accompanies administrative
4
adjudicators. See Scoggins v. Department of the Army , 123 M.S.P.R. 592, ¶ 19
(2016). An administrative judge’s conduct during the course of a Board
proceeding warrants a new adjudication only if the administrative judge’s
comments or actions evidence “a deep-seated favoritism or antagonism that would
make fair judgment impossible.” Bieber v. Department of the Army, 287 F.3d
1358, 1362-63 (Fed. Cir. 2002) (quoting Liteky v. United States, 510 U.S. 540,
555 (1994)). The appellant’s bare allegation does not meet this rigorous standard.
The mere fact that the administrative judge rules against a party does not
establish bias. Thompson v. Department of the Army, 122 M.S.P.R. 372, ¶ 29
(2015) (citing Schoenrogge v. Department of Justice, 76 M.S.P.R. 216, 220
(1997)).
NOTICE OF APPEAL RIGHTS 4
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 and
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.
4
Since the issuance of the initial decision in this matter, the Board may have updated
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.
5
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
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 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.
(2) Judicial or EEOC review of cases involving a claim of
discrimination . This option applies to you only if you have claimed that you
6
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
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. 420 (2017). If you have a representative in this case,
and your representative receives 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:
7
Office of Federal Operations
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
P.O. Box 77960
Washington, D.C. 20013
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 section
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. 5 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).
5
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.
8
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:
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: ______________________________
Gina K. Grippando
Clerk of the Board
Washington, D.C.