(a) If the Board finds that the grievance is meritorious and that remedial action should be taken that relates directly to promotion, tenure, or assignment of the Grievant or to other remedial action not otherwise provided for in this section, or if the Board finds that the evidence in a grievance proceeding warrants disciplinary action against any employee of an Agency, it shall make an appropriate recommendation to the head of the concerned Agency.

(b) The head of the Agency shall make a written decision on the recommendation of the Board within 30 days after receiving the recommendation and shall implement the recommendation of the Board except to the extent that the head of the Agency rejects the recommendation in whole or in part on the basis of a determination that implementation of the recommendation would be contrary to law or would adversely affect the foreign policy or national security of the United States. If the head of the Agency rejects the recommendation in whole or in part, the decision shall specify the reasons for such action. Copies of the decision shall be served on the other parties. Pending the decision of the head of the Agency, there shall be no ex parte communication concerning the grievance between the head of the Agency and any person involved in the proceedings of the Board. The head of the Agency shall, however, have access to the entire Record of the Proceedings of the Board.

(c) A recommendation under this section shall, for the purposes of section 1110 of the Act, be considered a final action upon the expiration of a 30-day period referred to in paragraph (b) of this section, except to the extent that it is rejected by the head of the Agency by an appropriate written decision.

(d)

(1) If the head of the Agency makes a written decision under paragraph (b) of this section rejecting a recommendation in whole or in part on the basis of a determination that implementing such recommendation would be contrary to law, the head of the Agency shall, within the 30-day period referred to in paragraph (b) of this section:

(i) Submit a copy of such decision to the Board; and

(ii) Request that the Board reconsider its recommendation or, if less than the entirety is rejected, that the Board reconsider the portion rejected.

(2) Within 30 days after receiving such a request, the Board shall, after reviewing the head of the Agency's decision, make a recommendation to the head of the agency confirming, modifying, or vacating its original recommendation or, if less than the entirety was rejected, the portion involved. Reconsideration shall be limited to the question of whether implementing the Board's original recommendation, either in whole or in part, as applicable, would be contrary to law.

(e) A Board recommendation made under the preceding paragraph (d)(2) of this section shall be considered a final action for the purpose of section 1110 of the Act, and shall be implemented by the head of the Agency.

(f) The provisions of paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of this section shall not apply with respect to any grievance in which the Board has issued a final decision pursuant to section 1107 of the Act before December 22, 1987.

[50 FR 31357, Aug. 2, 1985. Redesignated and amended at 56 FR 55459, Oct. 28, 1991]