Source: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr;rgn=div5;view=text;node=5%3A3.0.1.1.10;idno=5;cc=ecfr
Timestamp: 2014-03-08 00:56:13
Document Index: 703150701

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 1209', '§1209', '§1209', '§1209', '§1209', '§1209', '§1209', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', '§1201', '§1209', '§1209', '§1209', '§1201', '§1209', '§1209', '§1209', '§1209', '§1209', 'art 1201', '§1209', '§1209']

PART 1209—PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES FOR APPEALS AND STAY REQUESTS OF PERSONNEL ACTIONS ALLEGEDLY BASED ON WHISTLEBLOWING OR OTHER PROTECTED ACTIVITYContentsSubpart A—Jurisdiction and Definitions
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 1204, 1221, 2302(b)(8) and (b)(9)(A)(i), (B), (C), or (D), and 7701. Source: 55 FR 28592, July 12, 1990, unless otherwise noted. Back to Top
§1209.5 Time of filing.(a) General rule. The appellant must seek corrective action from the Special Counsel before appealing to the Board unless the action being appealed is otherwise appealable directly to the Board and the appellant has elected a direct appeal. (See §1209.2(d) regarding election of remedies under 5 U.S.C. 7121(g)). Where the appellant has sought corrective action, the time limit for filing an appeal with the Board is governed by 5 U.S.C. 1214(a)(3). Under that section, an appeal must be filed:(1) No later than 65 days after the date of issuance of the Special Counsel's written notification to the appellant that it was terminating its investigation of the appellant's allegations or, if the appellant shows that the Special Counsel's notification was received more than 5 days after the date of issuance, within 60 days after the date the appellant received the Special Counsel's notification; or,(2) At any time after the expiration of 120 days, if the Special Counsel has not notified the appellant that it will seek corrective action on the appellant's behalf within 120 days of the date of filing of the request for corrective action.(b) Equitable tolling; extension of filing deadline. The appellant's deadline for filing an individual right of action appeal with the Board after receiving written notification from the Special Counsel that it is terminating its investigation of his or her allegations is subject to the doctrine of equitable tolling, which permits the Board to extend the deadline where the appellant, despite having diligently pursued his or her rights, was unable to make a timely filing. Examples include cases involving deception or in which the appellant filed a defective pleading during the statutory period.(c) Appeals after a stay request. Where an appellant has filed a request for a stay with the Board without first filing an appeal of the action, the appeal must be filed within 30 days after the date the appellant receives the order ruling on the stay request. Failure to timely file the appeal will result in the termination of any stay that has been granted unless a good reason for the delay is shown.
§1209.6 Content of appeal; right to hearing.(a) Content. Only an appellant, his or her designated representative, or a party properly substituted under 5 CFR 1201.35 may file an appeal. Appeals may be in any format, including letter form, but must contain the following:(1) The nine (9) items or types of information required in 5 CFR 1201.24 (a)(1) through (a)(9);(2) Where the appellant first sought corrective action from the Special Counsel, evidence that the appeal is timely filed;(3) The name(s) and position(s) held by the employee(s) who took the action(s), and a chronology of facts concerning the action(s);(4) A description of each disclosure evidencing whistleblowing or other protected activity as defined in §1209.4(b) of this part; and(5) Evidence or argument that:(i) The appellant was or will be subject to a personnel action as defined in §1209.4(a) of this part, or that the agency has threatened to take or not to take such a personnel action, together with specific indications giving rise to the appellant's apprehensions; and(ii) The personnel action was or will be based wholly or in part on the whistleblowing disclosure or other protected activity, as described in §1209.4(b) of this part.(6) An appellant who first sought corrective action from the Special Counsel may satisfy the requirements of paragraphs (a)(3) through (a)(5) of this section by filing with the appeal a copy of Part 2: Reprisal For Whistleblowing of the complaint form submitted to the Office of Special Counsel (Form OSC-11, Complaint of Possible Prohibited Personnel Practice or Other Prohibited Activity, Rev. 8/00), together with a copy of any continuation sheet with answers to Part 2 questions filed with the Office of Special Counsel, and any supplement to Part 2 of the original complaint filed with the Office of Special Counsel or completed by the Office of Special Counsel and furnished to the appellant. (b) Right to hearing. An appellant generally has a right to a hearing if the appeal has been timely filed and the Board has jurisdiction over the appeal.(c) Timely request. The appellant must submit any request for a hearing with the appeal, or within any other time period the judge sets for that purpose. If the appellant does not make a timely request for a hearing, the right to a hearing is waived.(d) Electronic filing. An appeal may be filed electronically by using the Board's e-Appeal site (https://e-appeal.mspb.gov) in accordance with §1201.14 of this chapter.
§1209.7 Burden and degree of proof.(a) Subject to the exception stated in paragraph (b) of this section, in any case involving a prohibited personnel practice described in 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(8) or (b)(9)(A)(i), (B), (C), or (D), the Board will order appropriate corrective action if the appellant shows by a preponderance of the evidence that the disclosure or other protected activity was a contributing factor in the personnel action that was threatened, proposed, taken, or not taken against the appellant.(b) However, even where the appellant meets the burden stated in paragraph (a) of this section, the Board will not order corrective action if the agency shows by clear and convincing evidence that it would have threatened, proposed, taken, or not taken the same personnel action in the absence of the disclosure or other protected activity.
§1209.8 Filing a request for a stay.(a) Time of filing. An appellant may request a stay of a personnel action allegedly based on whistleblowing at any time after the appellant becomes eligible to file an appeal with the Board under §1209.5 of this part, but no later than the time limit set for the close of discovery in the appeal. The request may be filed prior to, simultaneous with, or after the filing of an appeal. (b) Place of filing. Requests must be filed with the appropriate Board regional or field office as set forth in 5 CFR 1201.4(d).(c) Service of stay request. A stay request must be simultaneously served upon the Board's regional or field office and upon the agency's local servicing personnel office or the agency's designated representative, if any. A certificate of service stating how and when service was made must accompany the stay request.(d) Method of filing. A stay request must be filed with the appropriate Board regional or field office by mail, by facsimile, by commercial or personal delivery, or by electronic filing in accordance with §1201.14 of this chapter.
§1209.9 Content of stay request and response.(a) Only an appellant, his or her designated representative, or a party properly substituted under 5 CFR 1201.35 may file a stay request. The request may be in any format, and must contain the following:(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the appellant, and the name and address of the acting agency;(2) The name, address, and telephone number of the appellant's representative, if any;(3) The signature of the appellant or, if the appellant has a representative, of the representative;(4) A chronology of facts, including a description of the appellant's disclosure and the action that the agency has taken or intends to take;(5) Where the appellant first sought corrective action from the Special Counsel, evidence that the stay request is timely filed;(6) Evidence and/or argument showing that:(i) The action threatened, proposed, taken, or not taken is a personnel action, as defined in §1209.4(a) of this part;(ii) The action complained of was based on whistleblowing or other protected activity as defined in §1209.4(b) of this part; and(iii) There is a substantial likelihood that the appellant will prevail on the merits of the appeal;(7) Evidence and/or argument addressing how long the stay should remain in effect; and(8) Any documentary evidence that supports the stay request.(b) An appellant may provide evidence and/or argument addressing the question of whether a stay would impose extreme hardship on the agency.(c) Agency response. (1) The agency's response to the stay request must be received by the appropriate Board regional or field office within five days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays) of the date of service of the stay request on the agency.(2) The agency's response must contain the following:(i) Evidence and/or argument addressing whether there is a substantial likelihood that the appellant will prevail on the merits of the appeal;(ii) Evidence and/or argument addressing whether the grant of a stay would result in extreme hardship to the agency; and(iii) Any documentation relevant to the agency's position on these issues.
§1209.10 Hearing and order ruling on stay request.(a) Hearing. The judge may hold a hearing on the stay request.(b) Order ruling on stay request. (1) The judge must rule upon the stay request within 10 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays) after the request is received by the appropriate Board regional or field office.(2) The judge's ruling on the stay request must set forth the factual and legal bases for the decision. The judge must decide whether there is a substantial likelihood that the appellant will prevail on the merits of the appeal, and whether the stay would result in extreme hardship to the agency.(3) If the judge grants a stay, the order must specify the effective date and duration of the stay.
§1209.11 Duration of stay; interim compliance.(a) Duration of stay. A stay becomes effective on the date specified in the judge's order. The stay will remain in effect for the time period set forth in the order or until the Board issues a final decision on the appeal of the underlying personnel action that was stayed, or until the Board vacates or modifies the stay, whichever occurs first.(b) Interim compliance. An agency must immediately comply with an order granting a stay request. Although the order granting a stay request is not a final order, petitions for enforcement of such orders are governed by 5 CFR part 1201, subpart F. Back to Top
§1209.12 Filing of agency reports.When an employee who has applied for a transfer to another position in an Executive agency under 5 U.S.C. 3352 asks the agency head to review a rejection of his or her application for transfer, the agency head must complete the review and provide a written statement of findings to the employee and the Clerk of the Board within 30 days after receiving the request. Back to Top
§1209.13 Referral of findings to the Special Counsel.When the Board determines in a proceeding under this part that there is reason to believe that a current Federal employee may have committed a prohibited personnel practice described at 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(8) or (b)(9)(A)(i), (B), (C), or (D), the Board will refer the matter to the Special Counsel to investigate and take appropriate action under 5 U.S.C. 1215.