Such conferences provide an opportunity for discussion of the circumstances of the potential violations and any corrective actions the licensee may have taken before a final decision is made on enforcement action. They are normally held in an NRC regional office and are usually open to the public. This latest modification in the Enforcement Policy refers to enforcement conferences scheduled as the result of an NRC Office of Investigations finding that a licensee or licensee's contractor has discrminated against an employee for raising safety concerns. Such enforcement conferences will be open to public observation, except for those involving cases in which a particular individual is considered potentially responsible for the discrimination. The licensee will then be given an opportunity to rebut the complainant's presentation.
Participation is at the complainant's own expense.
But if he or she cannot attend in person, NRC will arrange for the complainant to participate by telephone or to submit a written rebuttal to the licensee's presentation. If the licensee declines to take part in an enforcement conference and, instead, responds to NRC's findings in writing, the complainant will be given an opportunity to submit a written rebuttal to the licensee's response. NRC may not hold an enforcement conference in discrimination cases in which there is a full adjudicatory record before the Department of Labor. But if one is held in such cases, it generally will focus on the licensee's corrective action, and the complainant will be allowed to participate. Docketing and Service Branch.