(a) Offset of FLRA payments to collect debts owed to other Federal agencies. (1) In most cases, Federal agencies submit eligible debts to the Treasury Offset Program to collect delinquent debts from payments issued by the FLRA and other Federal agencies, a process known as “centralized offset.” When centralized offset is not available or appropriate, any Federal agency may ask the FLRA (when acting as a “payment agency”) to collect a debt owed to such agency by offsetting funds payable to a debtor by the FLRA, including salary payments issued to FLRA employees. This section and § 2418.20 apply when a Federal agency asks the FLRA to offset a payment issued by the FLRA to a person who owes a debt to the United States.

(2) This subpart does not apply to FLRA debts. See §§ 2418.10 through 2418.12 for offset procedures applicable to FLRA debts.

(3) This subpart does not apply to the collection of non-FLRA debts through tax refund offset. See 31 CFR 285.2 for tax-refund-offset procedures.

(b) Administrative offset (including salary offset); certification. The FLRA will initiate a requested offset only upon receipt of written certification from the creditor agency that the debtor owes the past-due, legally enforceable debt in the amount stated, and that the creditor agency has fully complied with all applicable due-process and other requirements contained in 31 U.S.C. 3716, 5 U.S.C. 5514, and the creditor agency's regulations, as applicable. Offsets will continue until the debt is paid in full or otherwise resolved to the satisfaction of the creditor agency.

(c) Where a creditor agency makes requests for offset. Requests for offset under this section shall be sent to the Federal Labor Relations Authority, ATTN: Office of the Executive Director, 1400 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20424.

(d) Incomplete certification. The FLRA will return an incomplete debt certification to the creditor agency with notice that the creditor agency must comply with paragraph (b) of this section before action will be taken to collect a debt from a payment issued by the FLRA.

(e) Review. The FLRA is not authorized to review the merits of the creditor agency's determination with respect to the amount or validity of the debt certified by the creditor agency.

(f) When the FLRA will not comply with offset request. The FLRA will comply with the offset request of another agency unless the FLRA determines that the offset would not be in the best interests of the United States, or would otherwise be contrary to law.

(g) Multiple debts. When two or more creditor agencies are seeking offsets from payments made to the same person, or when two or more debts are owed to a single creditor agency, the FLRA may determine the order in which the debts will be collected or whether one or more debts should be collected by offset simultaneously.

(h) Priority of debts owed to FLRA. For purposes of this section, debts owed to the FLRA generally take precedence over debts owed to other agencies. The FLRA may determine whether to pay debts owed to other agencies before paying a debt owed to the FLRA. The FLRA will determine the order in which the debts will be collected based on the best interests of the United States.

(a) Notice to the FLRA employee. When the FLRA receives proper certification of a debt owed by one of its employees, the FLRA will begin deductions from the employee's pay at the next officially established pay period. The FLRA will send a written notice to the employee indicating that a certified debt claim has been received from the creditor agency, the amount of the debt that the creditor agency claims is owed, the date deductions from salary will begin, and the amount of such deductions.

(b) Amount of deductions from FLRA employee's salary. The amount deducted under § 2418.19(b) will be the lesser of the amount of the debt certified by the creditor agency or an amount up to 15% of the debtor's disposable pay. Deductions shall continue until the FLRA knows that the debt is paid in full or until otherwise instructed by the creditor agency. Alternatively, the amount offset may be an amount that the debtor and the creditor agency agree upon in writing. See § 2418.12(g) (salary-offset process).

(c) When the debtor is no longer employed by the FLRA—(1) Offset of final and subsequent payments. If an FLRA employee retires or resigns or if his or her employment otherwise ends before collection of the debt is complete, then the FLRA will continue to offset, under 31 U.S.C. 3716, up to 100% of an employee's subsequent payments until the debt is paid or otherwise resolved. Such payments include a debtor's final salary payment, lump-sum leave payment, and other payments payable to the debtor by the FLRA. See 31 U.S.C. 3716 and 5 CFR 550.1104(l) and 550.1104(m).

(2) Notice to the creditor agency. If the employee is separated from the FLRA before the debt is paid in full, then the FLRA will certify to the creditor agency the total amount of its collection. If the FLRA is aware that the employee is entitled to payments from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, Federal Employee Retirement System, or other similar payments, then the FLRA will provide written notice to the agency making such payments that the debtor owes a debt (including the amount) and that the provisions of 5 CFR 550.1109 have been fully complied with. The creditor agency is responsible for submitting a certified claim to the agency responsible for making such payments before collection may begin. Generally, creditor agencies will collect such monies through the Treasury Offset Program as described in § 2418.9(c).

(3) Notice to the debtor. The FLRA will provide to the debtor a copy of any notices sent to the creditor agency under paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(d) When the debtor transfers to another Federal agency—(1) Notice to the creditor agency. If the debtor transfers to another Federal agency before the debt is paid in full, then the FLRA will notify the creditor agency and will certify the total amount of its collection on the debt. The FLRA will provide a copy of the certification to the creditor agency. The creditor agency is responsible for submitting a certified claim to the debtor's new employing agency before collection may begin.

(2) Notice to the debtor. The FLRA will provide to the debtor a copy of any notices and certifications sent to the creditor agency under paragraph (d)(1) of this section.

(e) Request for hearing official. The FLRA will provide a hearing official upon the creditor agency's request with respect to an FLRA employee. See 5 CFR 550.1107(a).