Opinion ID: 1952178
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: cmpa

Text: The District of Columbia Council enacted the CMPA in 1979 [1] to assure that the District of Columbia government shall have a modern flexible system of public personnel administration. D.C.Code § 1-601.2(a) (1992). The CMPA provides that an employee within the scope of the CMPA shall have adverse action taken against him or her only for cause [2] and only after certain procedures are first completed. An adverse action is defined as a suspension of more than thirty days, a reduction in rank or pay, or a removal from employment. Id. § 1-617.1(b). The statute authorizes the Mayor to issue rules and regulations establishing internal agency corrective, rather than punitive, measures.... [and to provide for] reprimands and for suspensions for 30 days or less. Id. § 1-617.1(a). Pursuant to this authorization, the Office of Personnel issued extensive regulations. See Personnel Reg. §§ 1600.1-1608.6, 30 D.C.Reg. 5874 (1983). [3] Corrective [4] or adverse actions must be initiated within forty-five days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) from the date the agency knew or should have known of the act or occurrence allegedly constituting cause. D.C.Code § 1-617.1(b-1)(1). When an agency proposes a corrective action, the employee must be given written notice stating any and all causes for which the employee is charged, and the reasons, specifically and in detail, for the proposed action; and final action shall not become effective during that period. Personnel Reg. § 1604.7. The employee is entitled to at least ten days in which to answer the notice of proposed action, either orally or in writing or both, and to furnish affidavits or other documentary evidence in support of such answer. Id. §§ 1604.12, 1604.14. The proposed action and the employee's answer, if there is one, must be reviewed by the disinterested designee of the agency head prior to final action. Id. § 1604.16. [5] Examination of witnesses, a trial, or a hearing is not required, but may be provided at the discretion of the individual or individuals who are responsible for handling the adverse actions. D.C.Code § 1-617.3(a)(2) (1992). The deciding official may sustain the penalty proposed, reduce it, or dismiss the action with or without prejudice, but may not increase the proposed penalty. Personnel Reg. § 1604.35. The decision of the deciding official shall be rendered no more than forty-five days from the date of delivery of the notice of proposed action, [6] D.C.Code § 1-617.3(a)(1)(D); Personnel Reg. § 1604.38, and shall be the final agency decision for the purpose of appeal. Personnel Reg. § 1604.33. An appeal from the final agency decision may be made to the OEA. D.C.Code § 1-617.3(b). [7]