PART 108—EMPLOYEE PROTECTION HEARINGS Authority: Sec. 507(e), Pub. L. 92-500, 86 Stat. 816 (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. Source: 39 FR 15398, May 3, 1974, unless otherwise noted. § 108.1 Applicability. This part shall be applicable to investigations and hearings required by section 507(e) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq. § 108.2 Definitions. As used in this part, the term: (a) Act (b) Effluent limitation (c) Order (d) Party (e) Administrator Regional Administrator § 108.3 Request for investigation. Any employee who is discharged or laid-off, threatened with discharge or lay-off, or otherwise discriminated against by any person because of the alleged results of any effluent limitation or order issued under the Act, or any representative of such employee, may submit a request for an investigation under this part to the Regional Administrator of the region in which such discrimination is alleged to have occurred. § 108.4 Investigation by Regional Administrator. Upon receipt of any request meeting the requirements of § 108.3, the Regional Administrator shall conduct a full investigation of the matter, in order to determine whether the request may be related to an effluent limitation or order under the Act. Following the investigation, the Regional Administrator shall notify the employee requesting the investigation (or the employee's representative) and the employer of such employee, in writing, of his preliminary findings and conclusions. The employee, the representative of such employee, or the employer may within fifteen days following receipt of the preliminary findings and conclusions of the Regional Administrator request a hearing under this part. Upon receipt of such a request, the Regional Administrator, with the concurrence of the Chief Administrative Law Judge, shall publish notice of a hearing to be held not less than 30 days following the date of such publication where he determines that there are factual issues concerning the existence of the alleged discrimination or its relationship to an effluent limitation or order under the Act. The notice shall specify a date before which any party (or representative of such party) may submit a request to appear. § 108.5 Procedure. Any hearing held pursuant to this part shall be of record and shall be conducted according to the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 554. The Administrative Law Judge shall conduct the hearing in an orderly and expeditious manner. By agreement of the parties, he may dismiss the hearing. The Administrative Law Judge, on his own motion, or at the request of any party, shall have the power to hold prehearing conferences, to issue subpoenas for the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of relevant papers, books, and documents, and he may administer oaths. The Regional Administrator, and any party submitting a request pursuant to § 108.3 or § 108.4, or counsel or other representative of such party or the Regional Administrator, may appear and offer evidence at the hearing. § 108.6 Recommendations. At the conclusion of any hearing under this part, the Administrative Law Judge shall, based on the record, issue tentative findings of fact and recommendations concerning the alleged discrimination, and shall submit such tentative findings and recommendations to the Administrator. The Administrator shall adopt or modify the findings and recommendations of the Administrative Law Judge, and shall make copies of such findings and recommendations available to the complaining employee, the employer, and the public. § 108.7 Hearing before Administrator. At his option, the Administrator may exercise any powers of an Administrative Law Judge with respect to hearings under this part.