###### Editorial Note on Part 28

#### Editorial Note:

Nomenclature changes to part 28 appear at 76 FR 76873, Dec. 9, 2011.

#### § 28.3 General definitions.

In this part—

*Administrative judge* means any individual designated by the Board to preside over a hearing conducted on matters within its jurisdiction. An administrative judge may be a member of the Board, an employee of the Board, or any individual qualified by experience or training to conduct a hearing who is appointed to do so by the Board. When a panel of members or the full Board is hearing a case, the Chair shall designate one of the members to exercise the responsibilities of the administrative judge in the proceedings.

*Appeal* means a request filed with the full Board for review of an initial decision.

*Board* means the Government Accountability Office Personnel Appeals Board as established by 31 U.S.C. 751 and explained in 4 CFR 27.1.

*Charge* means any request filed with the PAB Office of General Counsel to investigate any matter within the jurisdiction of the Board, under the provisions of Subchapter IV of chapter 7 of Title 31, United States Code.

*Charging Party* means any person filing a charge with the PAB Office of General Counsel for investigation.

*Clerk of the Board* means the Clerk of the Personnel Appeals Board.

*Comptroller General* means the Comptroller General of the United States.

*Days* means calendar days.

*Director of EEO Oversight* means the Personnel Appeals Board Director of EEO Oversight.

*Executive Director* means the Executive Director of the Personnel Appeals Board.

*GAO* means the Government Accountability Office.

*General Counsel* means the General Counsel of the Board, as provided for under 31 U.S.C. 752.

*Initial Decision* means the adjudicatory statement of a case that is issued by an administrative judge who is a member of or appointed by the Board.

*Notice of Appeal* means a pleading requesting that the full Board review an initial decision.

*Person* means an employee, an applicant for employment, a former employee, a labor organization or the GAO.

*Petition* means any request filed with the Board for action to be taken on matters within the jurisdiction of the Board, under the provisions of Subchapter IV of Chapter 7 of title 31, United States Code.

*Petitioner* means any person filing a petition for Board consideration.

*Pleading* means a document that initiates a cause of action before the Board, responds to a cause of action, amends a cause of action, responds to an amended cause of action, requests reconsideration of a decision, responds to such a request, requests appellate review by the full Board or responds to such a request.

*Reduction in Force (RIF)* means the release of an employee from a job group by separation, demotion, reassignment requiring displacement, or furlough for more than 30 days when the cause of action is lack of work, shortage of funds, insufficient personnel ceiling, reorganization or realignment, an individual's exercise of reemployment or reinstatement rights, correction of skills imbalances, or reduction of high-grade supervisory, or managerial positions.

*Request for Reconsideration* means a request, filed with the administrative judge who rendered the initial decision, to reconsider that decision in whole or part.

*Solicitor* means the attorney appointed by the Board to provide advice and assistance to the Board in carrying out its adjudicatory functions and to otherwise provide assistance as directed by the Board.

[68 FR 69298, Dec. 12, 2003]