(a) If an Agency, in its final review, has questioned whether a complaint constitutes a grievance, the Board will make a preliminary determination of its jurisdiction unless the Board concludes that resolution of the question of jurisdiction should be deferred until the Board has compiled a record of proceedings or held a hearing on the merits of the case.

(b) The Board may also make a preliminary determination on any question raised by a Party concerning the timeliness of a grievance, the election of other remedies under § 904.3, or any other issue whose resolution might avoid the necessity of further proceedings.

(c) Before making a preliminary determination under this section, the Board shall obtain the views of the other parties and transmit those views to all parties.

(d) Where an issue presented for preliminary determination under this section is contested by a party or would result in the termination of a case, a panel of three members of the Board shall decide the issue.