(a) If an employee receives a demand that has not been validly issued or served, agency counsel may instruct the employee not to comply with the demand.

(b) If an employee receives a demand (validly issued and served) to testify or produce records, agency counsel, in his or her discretion, may grant the employee permission to testify or produce records only if the purposes of this part are met or agency counsel determines that an exception is appropriate.

(c) If a demand is issued to an employee, agency counsel shall contact the requester of the demand, inform that person of the requirements of this part, and may, in agency counsel's discretion, ask that the demand be withdrawn.

(d) If the requester of the demand refuses to have it withdrawn or fails to comply with this part, the Department may seek to quash the demand.

(e) If the court or other competent authority declines to grant the Department's motion to quash, agency counsel shall instruct the employee whether to testify or produce documents pursuant to the demand. Agency counsel may permit the testimony under §9.1(c) of this part. If response to a demand is required before the court or other competent authority rules on the motion to quash and the court fails to stay the demand, the employee must appear at the stated time and place, produce a copy of this part, and respectfully refuse to provide any testimony or produce any documents. Agency counsel shall take steps to arrange for legal representation for the employee. Agency counsel shall advise the employee how to respond, including not to testify, if the court or other competent authority rules that the demand must be complied with irrespective of these regulations.