§92.5. Definitions. — Inbound Citations

Except as provided in § 92.31 and § 92.33 of this part (with respect to separated employees), the paying DOT operating element will make deductions only from disposable pay (see § 92.5(f)).

(a) After other, less severe collection actions have failed, the DOT operating element (see § 92.5(g)) may implement steps to obtain collection by salary offset. The method and the amount of the salary offset shall be the method and amount stated in the creditor agency's demand letter (see § 92.11) or notice (see § 92.7), or, if applicable, in the decision of an administrative law judge or other hearing official after an employee-requested hearing on the matter. If a DOT operating element is the creditor, the procedures stated in § 92.11 shall be followed.

(a) Where a DOT creditor operating element (see § 92.5(g)) is the creditor, it shall charge interest on an outstanding debt at the rate published by the Secretary of the Treasury in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3717. The rate of interest assessed shall be the rate of the current value of funds to the United States Treasury (i.e., the Treasury tax and loan account rate), as prescribed and published by the Secretary of the Treasury in the Federal Register and the Treasury Financial Manual Bulletins annually or quarterly, in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3717. The DOT creditor operating element shall charge a penalty of six percent a year, in addition to interest, on any portion of a debt that is more than 90 days past due. It shall assess administrative charges to cover additional costs incurred in processing and handling the debt beyond the payment due date. The imposition of interest, penalties and administrative charges is made in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3717 and 4 CFR 102.13.

(1) Where the DOT operating element is the creditor agency and another agency is the paying agency, the chief of the accounting of finance office of the appropriate DOT operating element (see § 92.5(g)) shall complete and certify the “Debt Claim Form” (see Attachment 1), and attach a copy of the demand letter sent to the employee pursuant to § 92.11 with a statement of the employee's response thereto, or, if a hearing was held pursuant to § 92.13, attach a copy of the decision of the administrative law judge or other hearing official. The DOT creditor operating element shall certify that the employee owes the debt, the amount and basis of the debt, the date on which payment is due, the date the Government's right to collect the debt accrued, and that the Departmental regulations implementing 5 U.S.C. 5514 have been approved by the Office of Personnel Management.

(c) The timely filing of a petition for hearing shall stay any further collection proceedings. A decision by the administrative law judge or other hearing official (see § 92.5(j)) will be issued at the earliest practical date, but no later than 60 days after the filing of a petition for hearing, unless a delay is granted at the request of the employee.

(a) Hearings shall consist of informal conferences before an administrative law judge or other hearing official (see § 92.5(j)) in which the employee and the DOT creditor operating element are given full opportunity to present evidence, witnesses, and argument. The DOT operating element will maintain a summary record of a hearing provided under these procedures.