(a) Applicability. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this section, rather than subpart B and §268.203 of this part, applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of a disability in programs or activities conducted by the Board.

(b) Employment complaints. The Board shall process complaints alleging discrimination in employment on the basis of a disability in accordance with subparts A through G of this part.

(c) Responsible official. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion Programs Director (“Programs Director”) shall be responsible for coordinating implementation of this section.

(d) Filing the complaint—

(1) Who may file. Any person who believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination prohibited by this subpart may, personally or by his or her authorized representative, file a complaint of discrimination with the Programs Director.

(2) Confidentiality. The Programs Director shall not reveal the identity of any person submitting a complaint, except when authorized to do so in writing by the complainant, and except to the extent necessary to carry out the purposes of this subpart , including the conduct of any investigation, hearing, or proceeding under this subpart.

(3) When to file. Complaints shall be filed within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The Programs Director may extend this time limit for good cause shown. For the purpose of determining when a complaint is timely filed under this paragraph (d), a complaint mailed to the Board shall be deemed filed on the date it is postmarked. Any other complaint shall be deemed filed on the date it is received by the Board.

(4) How to file. Complaints may be delivered or mailed to the Administrative Governor, the Chief Operating Officer, the Programs Director, the Federal Women's Program Manager, the Hispanic Employment Program Coordinator, or the People with Disabilities Program Coordinator. Complaints should be sent to the Programs Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Street NW, Washington, DC 20551. If any Board official other than the Programs Director receives a complaint, he or she shall forward the complaint to the Programs Director.

(e) Acceptance of complaint.

(1) The Programs Director shall accept a complete complaint that is filed in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section and over which the Board has jurisdiction. The Programs Director shall notify the complainant of receipt and acceptance of the complaint.

(2) If the Programs Director receives a complaint that is not complete, he or she shall notify the complainant, within 30 days of receipt of the incomplete complaint, that additional information is needed. If the complainant fails to complete the complaint within 30 days of receipt of this notice, the Programs Director shall dismiss the complaint without prejudice.

(3) If the Programs Director receives a complaint over which the Board does not have jurisdiction, the Programs Director shall notify the complainant and shall make reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate government entity.

(f) Investigation/conciliation.

(1) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint, the Programs Director shall complete the investigation of the complaint, attempt informal resolution of the complaint, and if no informal resolution is achieved, the Programs Director shall forward the investigative report to the Chief Operating Officer.

(2) The Programs Director may request Board employees to cooperate in the investigation and attempted resolution of complaints. Employees who are requested by the Programs Director to participate in any investigation under this section shall do so as part of their official duties and during the course of regular duty hours.

(3) The Programs Director shall furnish the complainant with a copy of the investigative report promptly after completion of the investigation and provide the complainant with an opportunity for informal resolution of the complaint.

(4) If a complaint is resolved informally, the terms of the agreement shall be reduced to writing and made a part of the complaint file, with a copy of the agreement provided to the complainant. The written agreement may include a finding on the issue of discrimination and shall describe any corrective action to which the complainant has agreed.

(g) Letter of findings.

(1) If an informal resolution of the complaint is not reached, the Programs Director shall transmit the complaint file to the Chief Operating Officer. The Chief Operating Officer shall, within 180 days of the receipt of the complete complaint by the Programs Director, notify the complainant of the results of the investigation in a letter sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, containing:

(i) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;

(ii) A description of a remedy for each violation found;

(iii) A notice of right of the complainant to appeal the letter of findings under paragraph (k) of this section; and

(iv) A notice of right of the complainant to request a hearing.

(2) If the complainant does not file a notice of appeal or does not request a hearing within the times prescribed in paragraph (h)(1) and (j)(1) of this section, the Programs Director shall certify that the letter of findings under this paragraph (g) is the final decision of the Board at the expiration of those times.

(h) Filing an appeal.

(1) Notice of appeal, with or without a request for hearing, shall be filed by the complainant with the Programs Director within 30 days of receipt from the Chief Operating Officer of the letter of findings required by paragraph (g) of this section.

(2) If the complainant does not request a hearing, the Programs Director shall notify the Board of Governors of the appeal by the complainant and that a decision must be made under paragraph (k) of this section.

(i) Acceptance of appeal. The Programs Director shall accept and process any timely appeal. A complainant may appeal to the Administrative Governor from a decision by the Programs Director that an appeal is untimely. This appeal shall be filed within 15 calendar days of receipt of the decision from the Programs Director.

(j) Hearing.

(1) Notice of a request for a hearing, with or without a request for an appeal, shall be filed by the complainant with the Programs Director within 30 days of receipt from the Chief Operating Officer of the letter of findings required by paragraph (g) of this section. Upon a timely request for a hearing, the Programs Director shall request that the Board of Governors, or its designee, appoint an administrative law judge to conduct the hearing. The administrative law judge shall issue a notice to the complainant and the Board specifying the date, time, and place of the scheduled hearing. The hearing shall be commenced no earlier than 15 calendar days after the notice is issued and no later than 60 days after the request for a hearing is filed, unless all parties agree to a different date.

(2) The hearing, decision, and any administrative review thereof shall be conducted in conformity with 5 U.S.C. 554-557. The administrative law judge shall have the duty to conduct a fair hearing, to take all necessary actions to avoid delay, and to maintain order. He or she shall have all powers necessary to these ends, including (but not limited to) the power to:

(i) Arrange and change the dates, times, and places of hearings and prehearing conferences and to issue notice thereof;

(ii) Hold conferences to settle, simplify, or determine the issues in a hearing, or to consider other matters that may aid in the expeditious disposition of the hearing;

(iii) Require parties to state their positions in writing with respect to the various issues in the hearing and to exchange such statements with all other parties;

(iv) Examine witnesses and direct witnesses to testify;

(v) Receive, rule on, exclude, or limit evidence;

(vi) Rule on procedural items pending before him or her; and

(vii) Take any action permitted to the administrative law judge as authorized by this subpart G or by the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act (5 U.S.C. 554-557).

(3) Technical rules of evidence shall not apply to hearings conducted pursuant to this paragraph (j), but rules or principles designed to assure production of credible evidence and to subject testimony to cross-examination shall be applied by the administrative law judge wherever reasonably necessary. The administrative law judge may exclude irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence. All documents and other evidence offered or taken for the record shall be open to examination by the parties, and opportunity shall be given to refute facts and arguments advanced on either side of the issues. A transcript shall be made of the oral evidence except to the extent the substance thereof is stipulated for the record. All decisions shall be based upon the hearing record.

(4) The costs and expenses for the conduct of a hearing shall be allocated as follows:

(i) Employees of the Board shall, upon the request of the administrative law judge, be made available to participate in the hearing and shall be on official duty status for this purpose. They shall not receive witness fees.

(ii) Employees of other Federal agencies called to testify at a hearing, at the request of the administrative law judge and with the approval of the employing agency, shall be on official duty status during any absence from normal duties caused by their testimony, and shall not receive witness fees.

(iii) The fees and expenses of other persons called to testify at a hearing shall be paid by the party requesting their appearance.

(iv) The administrative law judge may require the Board to pay travel expenses necessary for the complainant to attend the hearing.

(v) The Board shall pay the required expenses and charges for the administrative law judge and court reporter.

(vi) All other expenses shall be paid by the parties incurring them.

(5) The administrative law judge shall submit in writing recommended findings of fact, conclusions of law, and remedies to the complainant and the Programs Director within 30 days, after the receipt of the hearing transcripts, or within 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing if no transcripts are made. This time limit may be extended with the permission of the Programs Director.

(6) Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the recommended decision of the administrative law judge, the complainant may file exceptions to the recommended decision with the Programs Director. On behalf of the Board, the Programs Director may, within 15 calendar days after receipt of the recommended decision of the administrative law judge, take exception to the recommended decision of the administrative law judge and shall notify the complainant in writing of the Board's exception. Thereafter, the complainant shall have 10 calendar days to file reply exceptions with the Programs Director. The Programs Director shall retain copies of the exceptions and replies to the Board's exception for consideration by the Board. After the expiration of the time to reply, the recommended decision shall be ripe for a decision under paragraph (k) of this section.

(k) Decision.

(1) The Programs Director shall notify the Board of Governors when a complaint is ripe for decision under this paragraph (k). At the request of any member of the Board of Governors made within 3 business days of such notice, the Board of Governors shall make the decision on the complaint. If no such request is made, the Administrative Governor, or the Chief Operating Officer if he or she is delegated the authority to do so, shall make the decision on the complaint. The decision shall be made based on information in the investigative record and, if a hearing is held, on the hearing record. The decision shall be made within 60 days of the receipt by the Programs Director of the notice of appeal and investigative record pursuant to paragraph (h)(1) of this section or 60 days following the end of the period for filing reply exceptions set forth in paragraph (j)(6) of this section, whichever is applicable. If the decision-maker under this paragraph (k) determines that additional information is needed from any party, the decision-maker shall request the information and provide the other party or parties an opportunity to respond to that information. The decision-maker shall have 60 days from receipt of the additional information to render the decision on the appeal. The decision-maker shall transmit the decision by letter to all parties. The decision shall set forth the findings, any remedial actions required, and the reasons for the decision. If the decision is based on a hearing record, the decision-maker shall consider the recommended decision of the administrative law judge and render a final decision based on the entire record. The decision-maker may also remand the hearing record to the administrative law judge for a fuller development of the record.

(2) The Board shall take any action required under the terms of the decision promptly. The decision-maker may require periodic compliance reports specifying:

(i) The manner in which compliance with the provisions of the decision has been achieved;

(ii) The reasons any action required by the final Board decision has not been taken; and

(iii) The steps being taken to ensure full compliance.

(3) The decision-maker may retain responsibility for resolving disputes that arise between parties over interpretation of the final Board decision, or for specific adjudicatory decisions arising out of implementation.

[68 FR 18085, Apr. 15, 2003, as amended at 84 FR 27035, June 11, 2019]