(a) Any person, firm, or corporation having ownership, custody, or control of animals, animal byproducts, or other commodities or articles subject to inspection, laboratory testing, certification, or quarantine under this subchapter and subchapter G of this chapter, and who requires the services of an employee of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection on a Sunday or holiday, or at any other time outside the regular tour of duty of the employee, shall sufficiently in advance of the period of Sunday, holiday, or overtime service request the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspector in charge to furnish the service and shall pay the Government at the rate listed in the following table, except as provided in paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), and (a)(4) of this section:

(1) For any services performed on a Sunday or holiday, or at any time after 5 p.m. or before 8 a.m. on a weekday, in connection with the arrival in or departure from the United States of a private aircraft or private vessel, the total amount payable shall not exceed $25 for all inspection services performed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection , Public Health Service, and the Department of Agriculture;

(2) Owners and operators of aircraft will be provided service without reimbursement during regularly established hours of service on a Sunday or holiday; and

(3) The overtime rate to be charged owners or operators of aircraft at airports of entry or other places of inspection as a consequence of the operation of the aircraft, for work performed outside of the regularly established hours of service is listed in the following table:

(4) The overtime rate and all other charges, including minimum and commute compensation charges, to be billed for services provided by an employee of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall be charged according to the provisions of this section, 5 CFR part 551, or 19 CFR 24.16.

(b) A minimum charge of 2 hours shall be made for any Sunday or holiday or unscheduled overtime duty performed by an employee on a day when no work was scheduled for him or her, or which is performed by an employee on his or her regular workday beginning either at least 1 hour before his or her scheduled tour of duty or which is not in direct continuation of the employee's regular tour of duty. In addition, each such period of Sunday or holiday or unscheduled overtime work to which the 2-hour minimum charge applies may include a commuted traveltime period (CTT) the amount of which shall be prescribed in administrative instructions to be issued by the Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the areas in which the Sunday or holiday or overtime work is performed and such period shall be established as nearly as may be practicable to cover the time necessarily spent in reporting to and returning from the place at which the employee performs such Sunday, holiday or overtime duty. With respect to places of duty within the metropolitan area of the employee's headquarters, such CTT period shall not exceed 3 hours. It shall be administratively determined from time to time which days constitute holidays. The circumstances under which such CTT periods shall be charged and the percentage applicable in each circumstance are as reflected in the following table:

(c) As used in this section—

(1) The term private aircraft means any civilian aircraft not being used to transport persons or property for compensation or hire, and

(2) The term private vessel means any civilian vessel not being used (i) to transport persons or property for compensation or hire, or (ii) in fishing operations or in processing of fish or fish products.

(d)

(1) Any principal, or any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity acting as an agent or broker by requesting Sunday, holiday, or overtime services of an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspector on behalf of any other person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity (principal), and who has not previously requested such service from an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service inspector, must pay the inspector before service is provided.

(2) Since the payment must be collected before service can be provided, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspector will estimate the amount to be paid. Any difference between the inspector's estimate and the actual amount owed to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will be resolved as soon as reasonably possible following the delivery of service, with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection either returning the difference to the agent, broker, or principal, or billing the agent, broker, or principal for the difference.

(3) The prepayment must be in some guaranteed form, such as money order, certified check, or cash. Prepayment in guaranteed form will continue until the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines that the agent, broker, or principal has established an acceptable credit history.

(4) For security reasons, cash payments will be accepted only from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and only at a location designated by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service inspector or U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

(e)

(1) Any principal, or any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity requesting Sunday, holiday, or overtime services of an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service inspector, and who has a debt to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection more than 60 days delinquent, must pay the inspector before service is provided.

(2) Since the payment must be collected before service can be provided, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspector will estimate the amount to be paid. Any difference between the inspector's estimate and the actual amount owed to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be resolved as soon as reasonably possible following the delivery of service, with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection either returning the difference to the agent, broker, or principal, or billing the agent, broker, or principal for the difference.

(3) The prepayment must be in some guaranteed form, such as money order, certified check, or cash. Prepayment in guaranteed form will continue until the debtor pays the delinquent debt.

(4) For security reasons, cash payments will be accepted only from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and only at a location designated by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspector.

(f) Reimbursable Sunday, holiday, or overtime services will be denied to any principal, or any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity who has a debt to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection more than 90 days delinquent. Services will be denied until the delinquent debt is paid.

[38 FR 28814, Oct. 17, 1973]