[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 6]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR400.129]

[Page 24]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
     CHAPTER IV--FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 400--GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
Subpart K--Debt Management--Regulations for the 1986 and Succeeding Crop 
                                  Years
 
Sec. 400.129  Salary offset.

    (a) Debt collection by salary offset is feasible if: the cost to the 
Government of collection by salary offset does not exceed the amount of 
the debt; there are no legal restrictions to the debt, such as the 
debtor being under the jurisdiction of a bankruptcy court or the 
expiration of a statute of limitations; or, other such legal 
restrictions. The Debt Collection Act permits collections of debts by 
offset for claims that have not been outstanding for more than 10 years.
    (b) The salary offset provisions contained herein provide procedures 
which must be followed before FCIC may request another Federal agency to 
offset any amount from the debtor's salary. Decisions made under the 
provisions of this section are not appealable under the provisions of 
the Appeal Regulations in part 400, subpart J of this title.
    (c) These regulations will not apply to any case where collection of 
a debt by salary offset is explicitly provided for by another statue as 
noted by the Comptroller General in 64 Comp. Gen. 142 (1984), including 
5 U.S.C. 5512(a), 5 U.S.C. 5513, 5 U.S.C. 5522(a) (1), 5 U.S.C. 5705 (1) 
and (2), and 5 U.S.C. 5724(f).
    (d) Salary offset may be used by FCIC to collect debts which arise 
from delinquent FCIC premium payments or delinquent repayment plans and 
other debts arising from, but not limited to, such sources as program 
theft, embezzlement, fraud, salary overpayments, underwithholding of any 
amounts due and payable for life and health insurance, advance travel 
payments, overpaid indemnities, and any amount owed by present or former 
employees from loss of federal funds through negligence and other 
matters. The debt does not have to be reduced to judgment and does not 
have to be covered by a security instrument.
    (e) FCIC may use salary offset against one of its employees who is 
indebted to another agency if requested to do so by that agency. Salary 
offset will not be initiated until after other servicing options 
available to the requesting agency have been utilized, and due process 
has been afforded to the FCIC employee. When salary offset is utilized, 
payment for the debt will be deducted from the employee's salary and 
sent directly to the creditor agency. Not more than fifteen percent 
(15%) of the employee's disposable salary can be offset in any one pay 
period, unless the employee agrees in writing to the deduction of a 
larger amount.
    (f) When FCIC is owed a debt by an employee of another agency, the 
other agency shall not initiate the requested offset until FCIC provides 
the agency with a written certification that the debtor owes FCIC a debt 
(including the amount and basis of the debt and the due date of the 
payment), and that FCIC has complied with Department regulations. If a 
repayment schedule is elected by the employee, interest will be charged 
in accordance with Departmental Regulation 2520-1, Interest Rate on 
Delinquent Debts; USDA Debt Collection Regulations in 7 CFR part 3; and 
4 CFR 102.13.
    (g) For the purposes of this section, the Manager, FCIC, or the 
Manager's designee, is delegated authority to:
    (1) Certify to the debtor's employing agency that the debt exists 
and the amount of the debt or delinquent balance;
    (2) Certify that, with respect to debt collection, the procedures 
and regulations of FCIC and the Department have been complied with; and
    (3) Request that salary offset be initiated by the debtor's 
employing agency.

[53 FR 3, Jan. 4, 1988, and 53 FR 10527, Apr. 1, 1988]

[[Page 25]]