§2.31. General Counsel. — Inbound Citations

Pursuant to § 2.31, the following delegation of authority is made by the General Counsel to the Principal Deputy General Counsel, to be exercised only during the absence or unavailability of the General Counsel: Perform all duties and exercise all powers that are now or which may hereafter be delegated to the General Counsel.

Unless specifically reserved, or otherwise delegated (including delegations of legal functions to the General Counsel at § 2.31), the delegations of authority to each general officer of the Department and each agency head contained in this part includes the authority to direct and supervise the employees engaged in the conduct of activities under such official's jurisdiction, and the authority to take any action, execute any document, authorize any expenditure, promulgate any rule, regulation, order, or instruction required by or authorized by law and deemed by the general officer or agency head to be necessary and proper to the discharge of his or her responsibilities. This authority will be exercised subject to applicable administrative directives. Unless otherwise provided, a general officer or agency head may, subject to his or her continuing responsibility for the proper discharge of delegations made to him, in this part, delegate and provide for the redelegation of his or her authority to appropriate officers and employees. Subject to the general supervision of the Secretary, agency heads who are delegated authority from a general officer, in this part, report to and are under the supervision of that general officer.

(cxxxv) Administer the Department's Patent Program except as delegated to the General Counsel in § 2.31(a)(5).

(58) Administer the Department's Patent Program except as delegated to the General Counsel in § 2.31(a)(5).

(C) To make final agency decisions, or enter into settlement agreements on EEO complaints by Department employees or applicants for employment and order such corrective measures in response to such complaints as may be considered necessary, except that in qualifying cases as described in § 2.31(a)(18) the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights must first obtain legal sufficiency review and concurrence by the General Counsel before extending settlement offers or entering into settlement agreements. Corrective measures may include recommending to the Office of Human Resources Management and the affected agency or office that appropriate disciplinary action be taken when an employee has been found to have engaged in a discriminatory practice.