In order to ensure uniform and consistent interpretation and application of the provisions of the LSC Act, the Corporation's appropriations act or other law applicable to LSC funds, a Corporation rule, regulation, guideline or instruction, or the terms and conditions of the recipient's grant or contract with the Corporation, and to prevent a question of whether these requirements have been violated from becoming an ancillary issue in any case undertaken by a recipient, this part establishes a systematic procedure for enforcing compliance with them.

LSC requirements means the provisions of the LSC Act, the Corporation's appropriations act or other law applicable to LSC funds, a Corporation rule, regulation, guideline or instruction, or the terms or conditions of the recipient's grant or contract with the Corporation.

Violation means a violation by the recipient of the LSC requirements.

A complaint of a violation by a recipient or an employee of a recipient may be made to the recipient, the State Advisory Council, or the Corporation.

(a) A recipient shall:

(1) Advise its employees of their responsibilities under the LSC requirements;

(2) Establish procedures, consistent with the notice and hearing requirements of section 1011 of the LSC Act, for determining whether an employee has committed a violation and whether the violation merits a sanction based on consideration of the totality of the circumstances; and

(3) Establish a policy for determining the appropriate sanction to be imposed for a violation, including:

(i) Administrative reprimand if a violation is found to be minor and unintentional, or otherwise affected by mitigating circumstances;

(ii) Suspension and termination of employment; and

(iii) Other sanctions appropriate for enforcement of the LSC requirements.

(b) Before suspending or terminating the employment of any person for a violation, a recipient shall consult the Corporation to ensure that its interpretation of these requirements is consistent with Corporation policy.

(c) This section provides procedural requirements between the Corporation and recipients. It does not create rights for recipient employees.

(a) Whenever the Corporation learns that there is reason to believe that a recipient or a recipient's employee may have committed a violation, the Corporation shall investigate the matter promptly and attempt to resolve it through informal consultation with the recipient. Such actions may be limited to determining if the recipient is sufficiently investigating and resolving the matter itself.

(b) Whenever there is substantial reason to believe that a recipient has persistently or intentionally violated the LSC requirements, or, after notice, has failed to take appropriate remedial or disciplinary action to ensure compliance by its employees with the LSC requirements, and attempts at informal resolution have been unsuccessful, the Corporation may proceed to suspend or terminate financial support of the recipient, or impose a limited reduction in funding, pursuant to the procedures set forth in parts 1623 and 1606, or may take other action to enforce compliance with the LSC requirements.

(c) Whenever the Corporation determines that a recipient has committed a violation, that corrective actions by the recipient are required to remedy the violation and/or prevent recurrence of the violation, and that imposition of special grant conditions are needed prior to the next grant renewal or competition for the service area, the Corporation may immediately impose Special Grant Conditions on the recipient to require completion of those corrective actions.