[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 9]
[Revised as of July 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR2704.106]

[Page 721]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR
 
     CHAPTER XXVII--FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION
 
PART 2704_IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT IN 
COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A_General Provisions
 
Sec. 2704.106  Allowable fees and expenses.

    (a) Awards will be based on rates customarily charged by persons 
engaged in the business of acting as attorneys, agents and expert 
witnesses, even if the services were made available without charge or at 
a reduced rate to the applicant.
    (b) No award for the fee of an attorney or agent under this part may 
exceed $125 per hour, except as provided in Sec. 2704.107. No award to 
compensate an expert witness may exceed the highest rate at which the 
Secretary of Labor pays expert witnesses. However, an award may also 
include the reasonable expenses of the attorney, agent, or witness as a 
separate item if the attorney, agent or witness ordinarily charges 
clients separately for such expenses.
    (c) In determining the reasonableness of the fee sought for an 
attorney, agent or expert witness, the administrative law judge shall 
consider the following:
    (1) If the attorney, agent or witness is in private practice, his or 
her customary fee for similar services, or, if an employee of the 
applicant, the fully allocated cost of the services;
    (2) The prevailing rate for similar services in the community in 
which the attorney, agent or witness ordinarily performs services;
    (3) The time actually spent in the representation of the applicant;
    (4) The time reasonably spent in light of the difficulty or 
complexity of the issues in the underlying proceeding; and
    (5) Such other factors as may bear on the value of the services 
provided.
    (d) The reasonable cost of any study, analysis, engineering report, 
test, project or similar matter prepared on behalf of a party may be 
awarded, to the extent that the charge for the service does not exceed 
the prevailing rate for similar services, and the study or other matter 
was necessary for preparation of the applicant's case in the underlying 
proceeding.

[47 FR 10001, Mar. 9, 1982, as amended at 63 FR 63176, Nov. 12, 1998]