Source: http://ecfr.io/Title-05/pt5.3.1216
Timestamp: 2019-02-19 19:22:42
Document Index: 76172698

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1216', 'art 1216', 'art 1216', 'ART 1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', '§1216', 'art 1216', '§1216', 'art 1204']

[5 CFR 1216] Title 5 Part 1216 : Code of Federal Regulations ';
Title 5 Part 1216
Title 5 → Chapter II → Subchapter A → Part 1216
PART 1216—TESTIMONY BY MSPB EMPLOYEES RELATING TO OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL RECORDS IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
§1216.101 Scope and purpose.
§1216.102 Applicability.
§1216.103 Definitions.
§1216.201 General prohibition.
§1216.202 Factors the MSPB will consider.
§1216.203 Filing requirements for litigants seeking documents or testimony.
§1216.204 Service of requests or demands.
§1216.205 Processing requests or demands.
§1216.206 Final determination.
§1216.207 Restrictions that apply to testimony.
§1216.208 Restrictions that apply to released records.
§1216.209 Procedure when a decision is not made prior to the time a response is required.
§1216.210 Procedure in the event of an adverse ruling.
§1216.301 Fees.
§1216.401 Penalties.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 1204(h); 31 U.S.C. 9701.
Source: 71 FR 17967, Apr. 10, 2006, unless otherwise noted.
(1) The production or disclosure of official information or records by MSPB employees, advisors, and consultants; and
(2) The testimony of current and former MSPB employees, advisors, and consultants relating to official information, official duties, or the MSPB's record, in connection with federal or state litigation in which the MSPB is not a party.
(b) The MSPB intends this part to:
(1) Conserve the time of MSPB employees for conducting official business;
(2) Minimize the involvement of MSPB employees in issues unrelated to MSPB's mission;
(3) Maintain the impartiality of MSPB employees in disputes between private litigants; and
(4) Protect sensitive, confidential information and the deliberative processes of the MSPB.
(c) In providing for these requirements, the MSPB does not waive the sovereign immunity of the United States.
(d) This part provides guidance for the internal operations of MSPB. It does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, that a party may rely upon in any legal proceeding against the United States.
This part applies to demands and requests to current and former employees, advisors, and consultants for factual or expert testimony relating to official information or official duties or for production of official records or information, in legal proceedings in which the MSPB is not a named party. This part does not apply to:
(a) Demands upon or requests for an MSPB employee to testify as to facts or events that are unrelated to his or her official duties or that are unrelated to the functions of the MSPB;
(b) Demands upon or requests for a former MSPB employee to testify as to matters in which the former employee was not directly or materially involved while at the MSPB;
(a) Demand means an order, subpoena, or other command of a court or other competent authority for the production, disclosure, or release of records or for the appearance and testimony of an MSPB employee in a legal proceeding.
(b) General Counsel means the General Counsel of the MSPB or a person to whom the General Counsel has delegated authority under this part.
(d) MSPB means the Merit Systems Protection Board.
(e) MSPB employee or employee means:
(1)(i) Any current or former employee of the MSPB;
(f) Records or official records and information all information in the custody and control of the MSPB, relating to information in the custody and control of the MSPB, or acquired by an MSPB employee in the performance of his or her official duties or because of his or her official status, while the individual was employee by or on behalf of the MSPB.
(g) Request means any informal request, by whatever method, for the production of records and information or for testimony which has not been ordered by a court of other competent authority.
(c) Allowing such testimony or production of records would assist or hinder the MSPB in performing its statutory duties;
(d) Allowing such testimony or production of records would be in the best interest of the MSPB or the United States;
(f) The demand or request is unduly burdensome or otherwise inappropriate under the applicable rules of discovery or the rule of procedure governing the case or mater in which the demand or request arose;
(j) Disclosure would result in the MSPB appearing to favor one litigant over another;
A litigant must comply with the following requirements when filing a request for official records and information or testimony under this part. A request should be filed before a demand.
(a) The request must be in writing and must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board who will immediately forward the request to the General Counsel.
(4) A statement as to how the need for the information outweighs any need to maintain the confidentiality of the information and outweighs the burden on the MSPB to produce the records or provide testimony;
(5) A statement indicating that the information sought is not available from another source, from other persons or entities, or from the testimony of someone other than an MSPB employee, such as a retained expert;
(9) An estimate of the amount of time that the requester and other parties will require for each MSPB employee for time spent by the employee to prepare for testimony, in travel, and for attendance in the legal proceeding.
(c) The MSPB reserves the right to require additional information to complete the request where appropriate.
(f) The request should state that the requester will provide a copy of the MSPB employee's statement free of charge and that the requester will permit the MSPB to have a representative present during the employee's testimony.
Requests or demands for official records or information or testimony under this subpart must be served on the Clerk of the Board, U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, 1615 M Street, NW., Washington, DC 20419-0002 by mail, fax, or e-mail and clearly marked “Part 1216 Request for Testimony or Official Records in Legal Proceedings.” The request or demand will be immediately forwarded to the General Counsel for processing.
(b) Absent exigent circumstances, the MSPB will issue a determination within 30 days from the date the request is received.
(c) The General Counsel may grant a waiver of any procedure described by this subpart where a waiver is considered necessary to promote a significant interest of the MSPB or the United States, or for other good cause.
(d) Certification (authentication) of copies of records. The MSPB may certify that records are true copies in order to facilitate their use as evidence. If a requester seeks certification, the requester must request certified copies from the MSPB at least 30 days before the date they will be needed. The request should be sent to the Clerk of the Board.
The General Counsel makes the final determination on demands to requests to employees for production of official records and information or testimony in litigation in which the MSPB is not a party. All final determinations are within the sole discretion of the General Counsel. The General Counsel will notify the requester and, when appropriate, the court of other competent authority of the final determination, the reasons for the grant or denial of the request, and any conditions that the General Counsel may impose on the release of records or information, or on the testimony of an MSPB employee. The General Counsel's decision exhausts administrative remedies for discovery of the information.
(a) The General Counsel may impose conditions or restrictions on the testimony of MSPB employees including, for example:
(b) The MSPB may offer the employee's written declaration in lieu of testimony.
(2) For a current MSPB employee, testify as an expert or opinion witness with regard to any matter arising out of the employee's official duties or the functions of the MSPB unless testimony is being given on behalf of the United States (see also 5 CFR 2635.805).
(d) The scheduling of an employee's testimony, including the amount of time that the employee will be made available for testimony, will be subject to the MSPB's approval.
(a) The General Counsel may impose conditions or restrictions on the release of official records and information, including the requirement that parties to the proceeding obtain a protective order or execute a confidentiality agreement to limit access and any further disclosure. The terms of the protective order or of a confidentiality agreement must be acceptable to the General Counsel. In cases where protective orders or confidentiality agreements have already been executed, the MSPB may condition the release of official records and information on an amendment to the existing protective order or confidentiality agreement.
(b) If the General Counsel so determines, original MSPB records may be presented for examination in response to a request, but they may not be presented as evidence or otherwise used in a manner by which they could lose their identity as official MSPB records, nor may they be marked or altered. In lieu of the original records, certified copies may be presented for evidentiary purposes.
If a response to a demand or request is required before the General Counsel can make the determination referred to in §1216.206, the General Counsel, when necessary, will provide the court or other competent authority with a copy of this part, inform the court or other competent authority that the request is being reviewed, provide an estimate as to when a decision will be made, and seek a stay of the demand or request pending a final determination.
If the court or other competent authority fails to stay a demand or request, the employee upon whom the demand or request is made, unless otherwise advised by the General Counsel, will appear, if necessary, at the stated time and place, produce a copy of this part, state that the employee has been advised by counsel not to provide the requested testimony or produce documents, and respectfully decline to comply with the demand or request, citing United States ex rel. Touchy v. Ragen, 340 U.S. 462 (1951).
(a) Generally. The General Counsel may condition the production of records or appearance for testimony upon advance payment of a reasonable estimate of the costs to the MSPB.
(b) Fees for records. Fees for producing records will include fees for searching, reviewing, and duplicating records, costs of attorney time spent in reviewing the request, and expenses generated by materials and equipment used to search for, produce, and copy the responsive information. Costs for employee time will be calculated on the basis of the hourly pay of the employee (including all pay, allowances, and benefits). Fees for duplication will be the same as those charged by the MSPB in its Freedom of Information Act regulations at 5 CFR part 1204.
(d) Payment of fees. A requester must pay witness fees for current MSPB employees and any record certification fees by submitting to the Clerk of the Board a check or money order for the appropriate amount made payable to the Treasury of the United States. In the case of testimony of former MSPB employees, the request must pay applicable fees directly to the former MSPB employee in accordance with 28 U.S.C. 1821 or other applicable statutes.
(a) An employee who discloses official records or information or gives testimony relating to official information, except as expressly authorized by the MSPB, or as ordered by a Federal court after the MSPB has had the opportunity to be heard, may face the penalties provided in 18 U.S.C. 641 and other applicable laws. Additionally, former MSPB employees are subject to the restrictions and penalties of 18 U.S.C. 207 and 216.
(b) A current MSPB employee who testifies or produces official records and information in violation of this part shall be subject to disciplinary action.