[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 45, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 45CFR1211.1-12]

[Page 41-42]
 
                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE
 
       CHAPTER XII--CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
 
PART 1211--VOLUNTEER GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1211.1-12  Investigation by Grievance Examiner.

    (a) Scope of investigation. The Examiner shall conduct an 
investigation of a nature and scope appropriate to the issues involved 
in the grievance.
    Unless waived by the volunteer, a hearing must be held if the 
Examiner finds that the grievance involves disputed questions of fact 
that go to the heart of the agency determination. Only those facts found 
necessary by the Examiner on which to base his or her findings go to the 
heart of the Agency determination.
    If the grievance does not involve such disputed questions of fact, 
or if the volunteer waives a hearing, the Examiner need not hold a 
hearing but must provide the parties an opportunity for presentation of 
their respective positions. At the Examiner's discretion, the 
investigation may include:
    (1) The securing of documentary evidence,
    (2) Personal interviews, including telephone interviews,
    (3) Group meetings,
    (4) Affidavits, written interrogatories or depositions.
    (b) Conduct of Hearing. If a hearing is held, the conduct of the 
hearing and production of witnesses shall conform with the following 
requirements:

[[Page 42]]

    (1) The hearing shall be held at a time and place determined by the 
Examiner who shall consider the convenience of parties and witnesses and 
expense to the Government in making his or her decision.
    (2) Attendance at the hearing will be limited to persons determined 
by the Examiner to have a direct connection with the grievance. If 
requested by the volunteer, the Examiner must open the hearing to the 
public.
    (3) The hearing shall be conducted so as to bring out pertinent 
facts, including the production of pertinent records.
    (4) Formal rules of evidence shall not be applied strictly, but the 
Examiner may exclude irrelevant or unduly repetitious testimony or 
evidence.
    (5) Decisions on the admissibility of evidence or testimony shall be 
made by the Examiner.
    (6) Testimony shall be under oath or affirmation, administered by 
the Examiner.
    (7) The Examiner shall give the parties an opportunity to present 
oral and written testimony that is relevant and material, and to cross-
examine witnesses who testify.
    (8) The Examiner may exclude any person from the hearing for conduct 
that obstructs the hearing.
    (c) Witnesses. (1) All parties are entitled to produce witnesses.
    (2) Volunteers, employees of a sponsor, and employees of ACTION 
shall be made available as witnesses when requested by the Examiner. The 
Examiner may request witnesses on his or her initiative. Parties shall 
furnish to the Examiner and to opposing parties a list of proposed 
witnesses, and an explanation of what the testimony of each is expected 
to show, at least ten (10) calendar days before the date of the hearing. 
The Examiner may waive the time limit in appropriate circumstances.
    (3) Employees of ACTION shall remain in a duty status during the 
time they are made available as witnesses.
    (4) Volunteers, employees and any other persons who serve as 
witnesses shall be free from coercion, discrimination or reprisal for 
presenting their testimony.
    (5) The Examiner must authorize payment of travel expenses and per 
diem at standard Government rates for the volunteer and the 
representative to attend the hearing. Payment of travel expenses and per 
diem at standard Government rates for other witnesses to attend the 
hearing are authorized only after the Examiner determines that the 
required testimony cannot be satisfactorily obtained by affidavit, 
written interrogatories, or deposition, at a lesser cost.
    (d) Recording of Hearing. A grievant may make a recording of the 
hearing at his or her own expense if no verbatim transcript is made. 
Such a recording is in no way to be treated as the official transcript 
of the hearing.
    (e) Report of Hearing. The Examiner shall normally prepare a written 
summary of the hearing which shall include all documents and exhibits 
submitted to and accepted by the Examiner during the course of the 
grievance. An Examiner may require a verbatim transcript if he or she 
determines that the grievance is so complex as to require such a 
transcript. If the hearing is reported verbatim, the Examiner shall make 
the transcript a part of the record of the proceedings. If the hearing 
is not reported verbatim, a suitable summary of pertinent portions of 
the testimony shall be made part of the record of proceedings. In such 
cases, the summary together with exhibits shall constitute the report of 
the hearing. The parties are entitled to submit written exceptions to 
any part of the summary, and these written exceptions shall be made part 
of the record of proceedings.