Secretary of Labor v. Pay Car Mining, Inc. and Dynamic Energy, Inc. (Commission decision, June 4, 2013)

Plain-English summary

Pay Car Mining and Dynamic Energy missed the 30-day deadline to contest proposed penalty assessments after their representative placed the papers in a secretary's work box. Unforeseen medical developments prevented the secretary from filing the contests until after the assessments became final. The Secretary did not oppose reopening but urged better filing procedures and noted that Pay Car owed about $91,946 in delinquent penalties. The Commission reopened both matters in the interests of justice and remanded them for further proceedings. It directed the Secretary to file penalty petitions within 45 days.

Decision snapshot

• Governing provisions: 30 U.S.C. § 815(a); 29 C.F.R. §§ 2700.1(b) and 2700.28
• Outcome: Both final assessments were reopened and remanded for penalty proceedings.
• Key point: An unforeseen medical disruption that prevented timely filing supported reopening when the Secretary did not oppose relief.

Full text (FMSHRC public release)

Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission

FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

1331 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, SUITE 520N

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004-1710

June 4, 2013

SECRETARY OF LABOR, 

MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH 

ADMINISTRATION (MSHA) 

v.

PAY CAR MINING, INC. 

SECRETARY OF LABOR, 

MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH 

ADMINISTRATION (MSHA) 

v.

DYNAMIC ENERGY, INC. 

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Docket No. WEVA 2012-1435

A.C. No. 46-08884-286693

Docket No. WEVA 2012-1436

A.C. No. 46-09062-286698

BEFORE: Jordan, Chairman; Young and Nakamura, Commissioners

CORRECTED ORDER

BY THE COMMISSION:

These matters arise under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C.
§ 801 et seq. (2006) (“Mine Act”). On July 6, 2012, the Commission received from a representative for Pay Car Mining, Inc. (“Pay Car”) and Dynamic Energy, Inc. (“Dynamic”) two motions seeking to reopen two penalty assessments that had become final orders of the Commission pursuant to section 105(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. § 815(a).

Under section 105(a) of the Mine Act, an operator who wishes to contest a proposed penalty must notify the Secretary of Labor no later than 30 days after receiving the proposed penalty assessment. If the operator fails to notify the Secretary, the proposed penalty assessment is deemed a final order of the Commission. 30 U.S.C. § 815(a).

We have held, however, that in appropriate circumstances, we possess jurisdiction to reopen uncontested assessments that have become final Commission orders under section 105(a). Jim Walter Res., Inc., 15 FMSHRC 782, 786-89 (May 1993) (“JWR”). In evaluating requests to reopen final section 105(a) orders, the Commission has found guidance in Rule 60(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure under which, for example, a party could be entitled to relief from a final order of the Commission on the basis of mistake, inadvertence, or excusable neglect. See 29 C.F.R. § 2700.1(b) (“the Commission and its Judges shall be guided so far as practicable by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure”); JWR, 15 FMSHRC at 787. We have also observed that default is a harsh remedy and that, if the defaulting party can make a showing of good cause for a failure to timely respond, the case may be reopened and appropriate proceedings on the merits permitted. See Coal Prep. Servs., Inc., 17 FMSHRC 1529, 1530 (Sept. 1995).

The operators’ representative asserts that he received the proposed assessments on April 24, 2012, and placed them in his secretary’s work box for contest. Due to unforeseen medical developments, the secretary did not contest the assessments until June 6, 2012. However, the proposed assessment had become a final order on May 24, 2012. The Secretary of Labor does not oppose the requests to reopen, but urges the representative to establish procedures to ensure that personal developments do not prevent timely filing of future penalty contests. The Secretary also notes that Pay Car is currently delinquent in the payment of approximately $91,946.

Having reviewed the operators’ requests and the Secretary’s responses, in the interests of justice, we hereby reopen these matters and remand them to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for further proceedings pursuant to the Mine Act and the Commission’s Procedural Rules, 29 C.F.R. Part 2700. Accordingly, consistent with Rule 28, the Secretary shall file a petition for assessment of penalty within 45 days of the date of this order. See 29 C.F.R. § 2700.28.

/s/ Mary Lu Jordan

Mary Lu Jordan, Chairman

/s/Michael G. Young

Michael G. Young, Commissioner

/s/ Patrick K. Nakamura

Patrick K. Nakamura, Commissioner

Distribution:

James F. Bowman, Representative

Pay Car Mining, Inc.

P.O. Box 99,

Midway, WV 25878

[email protected]

W. Christian Schumann, Esq.

Office of the Solicitor

U.S. Department of Labor

1100 Wilson Blvd., Room 2220

Arlington, VA 22209-2296

Melanie Garris

Office of Civil Penalty Compliance,

MSHA

U.S. Dept. Of Labor

1100 Wilson Blvd., 25th Floor

Arlington, VA 22209-3939

Chief Administrative Law Judge Robert J. Lesnick

Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission

1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W., Suite 520N

Washington, D.C. 20004-1710