H.C. and U.S. Postal Service, El Centro Post Office (Board decision, February 15, 2024)

ECAB final decision. The Board dismissed the late appeal without reaching the merits. A party may petition the Board for reconsideration within 30 days of issuance unless this order specifies another period, under 20 C.F.R. § 501.7(a).

Plain-English summary

A postal employee appealed a May 2017 OWCP decision in December 2023. The 180-day filing period had ended in October 2017. The Board dismissed the appeal as untimely without reaching the compensation claim.

Decision snapshot

• Authority: 5 U.S.C. § 8101 et seq.
• Outcome: Appeal dismissed as untimely.
• Key point: The appeal was filed years after the 180-day deadline.

Full text (ECAB public release)

United States Department of Labor
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

________
)
H.C., Appellant
)
)
and ) Docket No. 24-0199
)
Issued: February 15, 2024
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, EL CENTRO POST )
OFFICE, El Centro, CA, Employer
)
__________ )

Appearances: Case Submitted on the Record
Appellant, pro se
Office of Solicitor, for the Director

ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL

Before:
ALEC J. KOROMILAS, Chief Judge
VALERIE D. EVANS-HARRELL, Alternate Judge JAMES D. McGINLEY, Alternate Judge

On December 22, 2023 appellant filed an appeal from a May 3, 2017 merit decision of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). The Clerk of the Appellate Boards assigned the appeal Docket No. 24-0199.

The Board has duly considered the matter and notes that the Board has jurisdiction to review final adverse decisions of OWCP issued under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. 1 For final adverse decisions of OWCP issued on or after November 19, 2008, the Board’s review authority is limited to appeals which are filed within 180 days from the date of issuance of OWCP’s decision.2

The 180 th day following the May 3, 2017, decision was October 30, 2017. As appellant did not file an appeal with the Board until December 22, 2023, more than 180 days after the May 3, 2017 OWCP decision, the Board finds that the appeal docketed as No. 24-0199 is untimely filed. The Board is without jurisdiction to review the appeal. Appellant has not explained his failure to timely file an appeal with supporting documentation sufficient to establish compelling 1 5 U.S.C. § 8101 et seq.; 20 C.F.R. §§ 501.2(c) and 501.3(a).
2
20 C.F.R. § 501.3(e) provides in pertinent part: “Any notice of appeal must be filed within 180 days from the date of issuance of a decision of the OWCP.” circumstances. Because there is no final adverse decision issued by OWCP within 180 days of the filing of the instant appeal, the Board concludes that the appeal docketed as No. 2 4-0199, must be dismissed.3 Accordingly,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT the appeal docketed as No. 24-0199 is dismissed.

Issued: February 15, 2024
Washington, DC

Alec J. Koromilas, Chief Judge
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Valerie D. Evans-Harrell, Alternate Judge Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

James D. McGinley, Alternate Judge
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

3
The Board’s decisions and orders are “final upon the expiration of 30 days from the date of their issuance.” Id. at § 501.6(d).

2