Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/03/19/E9-5694/testimony-by-flra-employees-and-production-of-official-records-in-legal-proceedings
Timestamp: 2020-01-29 10:52:56
Document Index: 705289194

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Federal Register :: Testimony by FLRA Employees and Production of Official Records in Legal Proceedings
A Rule by the Federal Labor Relations Authority on 03/19/2009
This final rule is effective March 19, 2009.
11639-11643 (5 pages)
5 CFR 2417
PART 2417—TESTIMONY BY EMPLOYEES RELATING TO OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND PRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL RECORDS IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E9-5694 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E9-5694
Rosa M. Koppel, Solicitor, Federal Labor Relations Authority, 1400 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20424; (202) 218-7999; fax: (202) 343-1007; or e-mail rkoppel@flra.gov.
The FLRA is amending and relocating to a new Part 2417 what was § 2411.11. Section 2411.11 prohibited employees from producing documents or giving testimony in response to a subpoena or other request without the written consent of the FLRA, the General Counsel or the Panel, as appropriate. Under § 2411.11, any employee served with a subpoena or request who was not given the requisite written consent was instructed to move to have the subpoena invalidated “on the ground that the evidence sought is privileged against disclosure by this rule.” This approach incorrectly treated the regulations as though they created a privilege against disclosure.
The FLRA is amending the regulations to set out specific procedures that must be followed by persons who submit demands or requests for non-public FLRA information. The new Part 2417 also sets out factors that the FLRA will consider when deliberating on demands or requests for non-public FLRA information. Non-public information, as that term is used in this proposal, is information, confidential or otherwise, not available to the public pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
Responding to such demands and requests may result in a significant disruption of an FLRA employee's work schedule and possibly involve the FLRA in issues unrelated to its responsibilities. In order to resolve these problems, many agencies have issued regulations, similar to these new regulations, governing the circumstances and manner in which an employee may respond to demands for testimony or for the production of documents. The United States Supreme Court upheld this type of regulation in United States ex rel. Touhy v. Ragen, 340 U.S. 462 (1951).
This rule applies to a range of matters in any civil legal proceeding in which the FLRA is not a named party. It also applies to former and current FLRA employees (as well as to FLRA consultants and advisors). Former FLRA employees are prohibited from testifying about specific matters for which they had responsibility during their active employment unless permitted to testify as provided in the regulations. They would not be prohibited from testifying about general matters unconnected with the specific FLRA matters for which they had responsibility.
The charges for witnesses are the same as those provided in Federal courts; and the fees related to production of records are the same as those charged under the Freedom of Information Act. The charges for time spent by an employee to prepare for testimony and for searches, copying, and certification of records by the FLRA are authorized under 31 U.S.C. 9701, which permits an agency to charge for services or things of value that are provided by the agency.
On December 24, 2008, the FLRA published a proposed rule with request for comments that proposed to amend 5 CFR, chapter XIV (73 FR 79024). The FLRA received no comments during the 30 days allowed for public comment and this final rule makes no changes to the previously published proposed rule. See 73 FR 79024 for additional information concerning this amendment of 5 CFR, chapter XIV.
Administrative practice and procedure; Government employees
For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Federal Labor Relations Authority amends
1. The authority citation for part 2411 continues to read as follows:
2. Section 2411.11 is removed.
3. Section 2411.12 is redesignated as § 2411.11.
4. Part 2417 is added to read as follows:
2417.101
2417.102
2417.103
2417.201
2417.202
2417.203
2417.205
Processing of requests or demands.
2417.206
2417.207
2417.208
2417.209
2417.210
2417.301
§ 2417.101
(1) The production or disclosure of official information or records by employees, members, advisors, and consultants of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority or the Federal Service Impasses Panel; and
(2) The testimony of current and former employees, members, advisors, and consultants of the Authority, the General Counsel or the Panel relating to official information, official duties or official records, in connection with civil federal or state litigation in which the Authority, the General Counsel or the Panel is not a party.
(d) This part provides guidance for the internal operations of the FLRA. 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.
§ 2417.102
(a) Demands upon or requests for an 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 Authority, the General Counsel or the Panel;
(c) Requests for the release of records under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, or the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a;
(e) Demands or requests for testimony, records or information by any Federal, state, or local agency in furtherance of an ongoing investigation of possible violations of criminal law.
§ 2417.103
(i) Any current or former employee or member of the Authority, the General Counsel or the Federal Service Impasses Panel;
This definition does not include: Persons who are no longer employed by the Authority, the General Counsel or the Panel and who agree to testify about general matters, matters available to the public or matters with which they had no specific involvement or responsibility during their employment with the Authority, the General Counsel or the Panel.
(d) Records or official records and information means: All information in the custody and control of the Authority, the General Counsel or the Panel, relating to information in the custody and control thereof, or acquired by an employee while in the performance of his or her official duties or because of his or her official status, while the individual was employed by or on behalf of the Authority, the General Counsel or the Panel.
(e) 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 or other competent authority.
§ 2417.201
No employee of the Authority, the General Counsel or the Panel may produce official records and information or provide any testimony relating to Start Printed Page 11641official information in response to a demand or request without the prior, written approval of the Chairman of the FLRA or the Chairman's designee.
§ 2417.202
§ 2417.203
§ 2417.204
(a) Requests or demands for official records or information or testimony under this part must be served on the Office of the Solicitor at the following address: Office of the Solicitor, Federal Labor Relations Authority, 1400 K Street, NW., Suite 201, Washington, DC 20424-0001; telephone: (202) 218-7999; fax: (202) 343-1007. The request must be sent by mail, fax, or e-mail and clearly marked “Part 2417 Request for Testimony or Official Records in Legal Proceedings.”
§ 2417.205
§ 2417.206
The Chairman of the FLRA, or the Chairman's designee, makes the final determination on demands or requests to employees thereof for production of official records and information or Start Printed Page 11642testimony in litigation in which the FLRA is not a party. All final determinations are within the sole discretion of the Chairman or the Chairman's designee. The Chairman or designee will notify the requester and, when appropriate, the court or other competent authority of the final determination, the reasons for the grant or denial of the request, and any conditions that may be imposed on the release of records or information, or on the testimony of an employee. This final determination exhausts administrative remedies for discovery of the information.
§ 2417.207
§ 2417.208
(a) The Chairman or the Chairman's designee 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 Chairman or the Chairman's designee. In cases where protective orders or confidentiality agreements have already been executed, the Chairman or the Chairman's designee may condition the release of official records and information on an amendment to the existing protective order or confidentiality agreement.
§ 2417.209
If a response to a demand or request is required before the Chairman or the Chairman's designee can make the determination referred to in § 2417.206, the Chairman or the Chairman's designee, 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.
§ 2417.210
§ 2417.301
(e) Waiver or reduction of fees. The Chairman or the Chairman's designee, in his or her sole discretion, may, upon a showing of reasonable cause, waive or reduce any fees in connection with the testimony, production, or certification of records.
§ 2417.401
(a) An employee who discloses official records or information or gives testimony relating to official information, except as expressly authorized by the Chairman or the Chairman's designee, or as ordered by a Federal court after the FLRA has had the opportunity to be heard, may face the penalties provided in 18 U.S.C. 641 and other applicable laws. Additionally, former employees are subject to the restrictions and penalties of 18 U.S.C. 207 and 216.
[FR Doc. E9-5694 Filed 3-18-09; 8:45 am]