relevant to the merits of the proceeding shall: (1) Request any prohibited ex parte communications; or (2) make or knowingly cause to be made any prohibited ex parte communications about the proceeding to any interested person outside this agency relevant to the merits of the proceeding. 82414.3 Definitions.

When used in this part:

(a) The term person outside this agency, to whom the prohibitions apply, shall include any individual outside the Authority, labor organization, agency, or other entity, or an agent thereof, and the General Counsel or his representative when prosecuting an unfair labor practice proceeding before the Authority pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 7118.

(b) The term ex parte communication means an oral or written communication not on the public record with respect to which reasonable prior notice to all parties is not given, subject however, to the provisions of §§ 2414.5 and 2414.6.

§ 2414.4 Duration of prohibition.

Unless otherwise provided by specific order of the Authority entered in the proceeding, the prohibition of §2414.2 shall be applicable in any agency proceeding subject to 5 U.S.C. 557(a) beginning at the time of which the proceeding is noticed for hearing, unless the person responsible for the communication has knowledge that it will be noticed, in which case the prohibitions shall apply beginning at the time of such person's acquisition of such knowledge.

$2414.5 Communications prohibited.

Except as provided in §2414.6, ex parte communications prohibited by §2414.2 shall include:

(a) Such communications, when written, if copies thereof are not contemporaneously served by the communicator on all parties to the proceeding in accordance with the provisions of part 2429 of this chapter; and

(b) Such communications, when oral, unless advance notice thereof is given by the communicator to all parties in the proceeding and adequate opportunity afforded to them to be present.

$2414.6 Communications not prohibited.

Ex parte communications prohibited by $2414.2 shall not include:

(a) Oral or written communications which relate solely to matters which the Hearing Officer, Regional Director, Administrative Law Judge, General Counsel or member of the Authority is authorized by law or Authority rules to entertain or dispose of on an ex parte basis;

(b) Oral or written requests for information solely with respect to the status of a proceeding;

(c) Oral or written communications which all the parties to the proceeding agree, or which the responsible official formally rules, may be made on an ex parte basis;

(d) Oral or written communications proposing settlement or an agreement for disposition of any or all issues in the proceeding;

(e) Oral or written communications which concern matters of general significance to the field of labor-management relations or administrative practice and which are not specifically related to any agency proceeding subject to 5 U.S.C. 557(a); or

(f) Oral or written communications from the General Counsel to the Authority when the General Counsel is acting on behalf of the Authority under 5 U.S.C. 7123(d).

§ 2414.7 Solicitation of prohibited com

munications.

No person shall knowingly and willfully solicit the making of an unauthorized ex parte communication by any other person.

§2414.8 Reporting of prohibited communications; penalties.

(a) Any Authority member, Administrative Law Judge, or other Authority employee who is or may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process of the proceeding relevant to the merits of the proceeding to whom a prohibited oral ex parte communication is attempted to be made, shall refuse to listen to the communication, inform the communicator of this rule, and advise such person that if the person has anything to say it should be said in writing with copies

to all parties. Any such Authority member, Administrative Law Judge, or other Authority employee who is or may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process of the proceeding relevant to the merits of the proceeding who receives, or who makes or knowingly causes to be made, an unauthorized ex parte communication, shall place or cause to be placed on the public record of the proceeding: (1) The communication, if it was written; (2) a memorandum stating the substance of the communication, if it was oral; (3) all written responses to the prohibited communication; and (4) memoranda stating the substance of all oral responses to the prohibited communication. The Executive Director, if the proceeding is then pending before the Authority, the Administrative Law Judge, if the proceeding is then pending before any such judge, or the Regional Director, if the proceeding is then pending before a Hearing Officer or the Regional Director, shall serve copies of all such materials placed on the public record of the proceeding on all other parties to the proceeding and on the attorneys of record for the parties. Within ten (10) days after the mailing of such copies, any party may file with the Executive Director, Administrative Law Judge, or Regional Director serving the communication, as appropriate, and serve on all other parties, a statement setting forth facts or contentions to rebut those contained in the prohibited communication. All such responses shall be placed in the public record of the proceeding, and provision may be made for any further action, including reopening of the record, which may be required under the circumstances. No action taken pursuant to this provision shall constitute a waiver of the power of the Authority to impose an appropriate penalty under § 2414.9.

$2414.9 Penalties and enforcement.

(a) Where the nature and circumstances of a prohibited communication made by or caused to be made by a party to the proceeding are such that the interests of justice and statutory policy may require remedial action, the Authority, Administrative Law Judge, or Regional Director, as

appropriate, may issue to the party making the communication a notice to show cause, returnable before the Authority, Administrative Law Judge, or Regional Director, within a stated period not less than seven (7) days from the date thereof, why the Authority, Administrative Law Judge, or Regional Director should not determine that the interests of justice and statutory policy require that the claim or interest in the proceeding of a party who knowingly makes a prohibited communication or knowingly causes a prohibited communication to be made, should be dismissed, denied, disregarded or otherwise adversely affected on account of such violation.

(b) Upon notice and hearing, the Authority may censure, suspend, or revoke the privilege of practice before the agency of any person who knowingly and willfully makes or solicits the making of a prohibited ex parte communication. However, before the Authority institutes formal proceedings under this subsection, it shall first advise the person or persons concerned in writing that it proposes to take such action and that they may show cause, within a period to be stated in such written advice, but not less than seven (7) days from the date thereof, why it should not take such action.

(c) The Authority may censure, or, to the extent permitted by law, suspend, dismiss, or institute proceedings for the dismissal of, any Authority agent who knowingly and willfully violates the prohibitions and requirements of this rule.

PART 2415-EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT

AUTHORITY: E.O. 11222, 30 FR 6469, 3 CFR, 1964-65 Comp., p. 306; 5 CFR 735.101 et seq. and 737.1 et seq.; Pub L. 95-521; 44 FR 19974.

§ 2415.1 Employee responsibilities and conduct.

The Federal Labor Relations Authority, the General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Federal Service Impasses Panel, respectively, hereby adopt the rules and regulations contained in parts 735 and 737 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, prescribing standards of

$2416.102 Application.

This regulation (§§ 2416.101-2416.170) applies to all programs or activities conducted by the agency, except for programs or activities conducted outside the United States that do not involve individuals with handicaps in the United States.

$2416.103 Definitions.

For purposes of this regulation, the term

Assistant Attorney General means the Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, United States Department of Justice.

Auxiliary aids means services or devices that enable persons with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills to have an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, programs or activities conducted by the agency. For example, auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired vision include readers, Brailled materials, audio recordings, and other similar services and devices. Auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired hearing include telephone handset amplifiers, telephones compatible with hearing aids, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's), interpreters, notetakers, written materials, and other similar services and devices.

Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the complainant's name and address and describes the agency's alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the agency of the nature and date of the alleged violation of section 504. It shall be signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties shall describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of discrimination.

Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, rolling stock or other conveyances, or other real or personal property.

Historic preservation programs means programs conducted by the agency that have preservation of historic properties as a primary purpose.

Historic properties means those properties that are listed or eligible for

listing in the National Register of Historic Places or properties designated as historic under a statute of the appropriate State or local government body.

Individual with handicaps means any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.

As used in this definition, the phrase: (1) Physical or mental impairment includes

(i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: Neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or

(ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities. The term physical or mental impairment includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and drug addiction and alcoholism.

(2) Major life activities includes functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.

(3) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

(4) Is regarded as having an impairment

means

(i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit major life activities but is treated by the agency as constituting such a limitation;

(ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward such impairment; or

(iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (1) of this definition but is treated by the agency as having such an impairment.

Qualified individual with handicaps

means

(1) With respect to preschool, elementary, or secondary education services provided by the agency, an individual with handicaps who is a member of a class of persons otherwise entitled by statute, regulation, or agency policy to receive education services from the

agency;

(2) With respect to any other agency program or activity under which a person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of accomplishment, an individual with handicaps who meets the essential eligibility requirements and who can achieve the purpose of the program or activity without modifications in the program or activity that the agency can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in its nature;

(3) With respect to any other program or activity, an individual with handicaps who meets the essential eligibility requirements for participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that program or activity; and

(4) Qualified handicapped person as that term is defined for purposes of employment in 29 CFR 1613.702(f), which is made applicable to this regulation by § 2416.140.

Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93112, 87 Stat. 394 (29 U.S.C. 794)), as amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-516, 88 Stat. 1617); the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-602, 92 Stat. 2955); and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-506, 100 Stat. 1810). As used in this regulation, section 504 applies only to programs or activities conducted by Executive agencies and not to federally assisted programs.

Substantial impairment means a significant loss of the integrity of finished materials, design quality, or special character resulting from a permanent alteration.

§§ 2416.104-2416.109 [Reserved] §2416.110 Self-evaluation.

(a) The agency shall, by September 6, 1989, evaluate its current policies and practices, and the effects thereof, that do not or may not meet the requirements of this regulation and, to the extent modification of any such policies and practices is required, the agency shall proceed to make the necessary modifications.

(b) The agency shall provide an opportunity to interested persons, including individuals with handicaps or organizations representing individuals with handicaps, to participate in the selfevaluation process by submitting comments (both oral and written).

(c) The agency shall, for at least three years following completion of the self-evaluation, maintain on file and make available for public inspection:

(1) A description of areas examined and any problems identified; and

(2) A description of any modifications made.

(1) Deny a qualified individual with handicaps the opportunity to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service;

(ii) Afford a qualified individual with handicaps an opportunity to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not equal to that afforded others;

(iii) Provide a qualified individual with handicaps with an aid, benefit, or service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others;

(iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to individuals with handicaps or to any class of individuals with handicaps than is provided to others unless such action is necessary to provide qualified individuals with handicaps with aid, benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others;

(v) Deny a qualified individual with handicaps the opportunity to participate as a member of planning or advisory boards;

(vi) Otherwise limit a qualified individual with handicaps in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others receiving the aid, benefit, or service.

(2) The agency may not deny a qualified individual with handicaps the opportunity to participate in programs or activities that are not separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly separate or different programs or activities.

(3) The agency may not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration the purpose or effect of which would

(i) Subject qualified individuals with handicaps to discrimination on the basis of handicap; or

(ii) Defeat or substantially impair accomplishment of the objectives of a program or activity with respect to individuals with handicaps.

(4) The agency may not, in determining the site or location of a facility, make selections the purpose or effect of which would

(i) Exclude individuals with handicaps from, deny them the benefits of,