[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR3.56]

[Page 272]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
PART 3_DEBT MANAGEMENT--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart C_Salary Offset
 
Sec. 3.56  Request for a hearing.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, an employee 
must file a petition for a hearing, that is received by the Secretary 
not later than 30 calendar days from the date of the Department's notice 
described in Sec. 3.55, if an employee wants a hearing concerning:
    (1) The existence or amount of the debt; or
    (2) The Secretary's proposed offset schedule (including percentage).
    (b) The petition must be signed by the employee and should identify 
and explain with reasonable specificity and brevity the facts, evidence 
and witnesses which the employee believes support his or her position. 
If the employee objects to the percentage of disposable pay to be 
deducted from each check, the petition should state the objection and 
the reasons for it.
    (c) If the employee files a petition for hearing later than the 30 
calendar days as described in paragraph (a) of this section, the hearing 
officer may accept the request if the employee can show that the delay 
was because of circumstances beyond his or her control or because of 
failure to receive notice of the filing deadline (unless the employee 
has actual notice of the filing deadline).