The Equal Assess to Justice Act, 5 U.S.C. 504,provides,agent,or. An eligible party may receive an award when it prevails over the General Counsel, unless the General Counsel's position in the proceeding was substantially justified, or special circumstances make an award unjust. The rules in this part describe the parties eligible for awards, and the Authority proceeding that is covered. They also set forth the procedures for applying for such awards, and the procedures by which the Authority will rule on such applications.

(a) The provisions of this part apply to unfair labor practice proceedings pending on complaint against a labor organization at any time since October 1, 1981.

(b) A respondent in an unfair labor proceeding which has prevailed in the proceeding, or in a significant and discrete portion of the proceeding, and who otherwise meets the eligibility requirements of this section, is eligible to apply for an award of attorneys fees and other expenses allowable under the provisions of § 2430.4 of these rules.

(1) Applicants eligible to receive an award in proceedings conducted by the Authority are any partnership, corporation, association, or public or private organization with a net worth of not more than $5 million ($7 million in cases involving adversary adjudications pending on or commenced on or after August 5, 1985) and not more than 500 employees.

(2) For the purpose of eligibility, the net worth and number of employees of an applicant shall be determined as of the date the complaint was issued.

(3) The employees of an applicant include all persons who regularly perform services for remuneration for the applicant, under the applicant's direction and control. Part-time employees shall be included on a proportional basis.

(4) An applicant that participates in a proceeding primarily on behalf of one or more other persons or entities that would be ineligible is not itself eligible for an award.

(a) An eligible applicant may receive an award for fees and expenses incurred in connection with a proceeding, or in a significant and discrete portion of the proceeding, unless the position of the General Counsel over which the applicant has prevailed was substantially justified. The burden of proof that an award should not be made to an eligible applicant is on the General Counsel, who may avoid an award by showing that its position in initiating the proceeding was reasonable in law and fact.

(b) An award will be reduced or denied if the applicant has unduly or unreasonably protracted the proceeding or if special circumstances make the award sought unjust.

(a)(1)(i) No award for the fee of an attorney or agent under this part may exceed $125.00 per hour, or for adversary adjudications commenced prior to March 29, 1996, $75.00 per hour, indexed to reflect cost of living increases as follows:

(ii) The cost of living index to be used is the Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, All Items (CPI-U). If legal services are provided during more than one year, each year shall be calculated separately. If an annual average CPI-U for a particular year is not yet available, the prior year's annual average CPI-U shall be used.

(2) No award to compensate an expert witness may exceed the highest rate that the Authority 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.

(b) In determining the reasonableness of the fee sought for an attorney, agent or expert witness, the following matters may be considered:

(1) If the attorney, agent or witness is in 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 proceeding; and

(5) Such other factors as may bear on the value of the services provided.

(c) The reasonable cost of any study, analysis, engineering report, test, project or similar matters prepared on behalf of an applicant 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.

If warranted by special factors, attorney fees may be awarded at a rate higher than that established in § 2430.4. Any such increase in the rate for attorney fees shall be made only upon a petition submitted by the applicant, pursuant to § 2430.6. Determinations regarding fee adjustments are subject to Authority review as specified in § 2430.13.

(a) An application for an award of fees and expenses under the Act shall identify the applicant and the proceeding for which an award is sought. The application shall state the particulars in which the applicant has prevailed and identify the positions of the General Counsel in the proceeding that the applicant alleges were not substantially justified. The application shall also state the number of employees of the applicant and describe briefly the type and purpose of its organization or business.

(b) The application shall include a statement that the applicant's net worth does not exceed $5 million.

(c) The application shall state the amount of fees and expenses for which an award is sought.

(d) The application may also include any other matters that the applicant wishes the Authority to consider in determining whether and in what amount an award should be made.

(e) The application shall be signed by the applicant or an authorized officer or attorney of the applicant. It shall also contain or be accompanied by a written verification under oath or under penalty of perjury that the information provided in the application is true.

(f) Each applicant must provide with its application a detailed exhibit showing the net worth of the applicant when the proceeding was initiated. The exhibit may be in any form convenient to the applicant that provides full disclosure of the applicant's assets and liabilities and is sufficient to determine whether the applicant qualifies under the standards in this part. The Administrative Law Judge may require an applicant to file additional information to determine its eligibility for an award.

(g) The application shall be accompanied by full documentation of the fees and expenses for which an award is sought. A separate itemized statement shall be submitted for each professional firm or individual whose services are covered by the application, showing the hours spent in connection with the proceeding by each individual, the rate at which each fee has been computed, any expenses for which reimbursement is sought, the total amount claimed, and the total amount paid or payable by the applicant or by any other person or entity for the services provided. The Administrative Law Judge may require the applicant to provide vouchers, receipts, or other substantiation for any expenses claimed.

(a) An application may be filed after entry of the final order establishing that the applicant has prevailed in the proceeding, or in a significant and discrete substantive portion of the proceeding, but in no case later than thirty (30) days after the entry of the Authority's final order in the proceeding. The application for an award shall be filed with the Authority in Washington, DC, in an original and four copies, and served on all parties to the unfair labor practice proceeding. Service of the application shall be in the same manner as prescribed in §§ 2429.22 and 2429.27. Upon filing, the application shall be referred by the Authority to the Administrative Law Judge who heard the proceeding upon which the application is based, or, in the event the proceeding had not previously been heard by an Administrative Law Judge, it shall be referred to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for designation of an Administrative Law Judge, to consider the application. When the Administrative Law Judge to whom the application has been referred is or becomes unavailable, the provisions of § 2423.20 shall be applicable.

(b) Proceedings for the award of fees and other expenses, but not the time limit of this section for filing an application for an award, shall be stayed pending final disposition of the case, in the event any persons seeks Authority reconsideration or court review of the Authority decision that forms the basis for the application for fees and expenses.

All pleadings or documents after the time the case is referred by the Authority to an Administative Law Judge, until the issuance of the Judge's decision, shall be filed in an original and four copies with the Administrative Law Judge and served on all parties to the proceeding. Service of such documents shall be in the same manner as prescribed in §§ 2429.22 and 2429.27.

(a) Within 30 days after service of an application, the General Counsel may file an answer to the application. The filing of a motion to dismiss the application shall stay the time for filing an answer to a date thirty (30) days after issuance of any order denying the motion.

(b) If the General Counsel and the applicant believe that the issues in the fee application can be settled, they may jointly file a statement of their intent to negotiate toward a settlement. The filing of such a statement shall extend the time for filing an answer for an additional 30 days.

(c) The answer shall explain in detail any objections to the award requested, and identify the facts relied on in support of the General Counsel's position. If the answer is based on alleged facts not already in the record of the proceeding, supporting affidavits shall be provided or a request made for further proceedings under § 2430.11.

(d) Within fifteen (15) days after service of an answer, the applicant may file a reply. If the reply is based on alleged facts not already in the record of the proceeding, supporting affidavits shall be provided or a request made for further proceedings under § 2430.11.

(e) Any party to a proceeding other than the applicant and the General Counsel may file comments on an application within 30 days after it is served, or on an answer within 15 days after it is served. A commenting party may not participate further in the proceeding on the application unless the Administrative Law Judge determines that such participation is required in order to permit full exploration of matters raised in the comments.

(f) Motions for extensions of time to file documents permitted by this section or § 2430.11 shall be filed with the Administrative Law Judge not less than five (5) days before the due date of the document.

The applicant and the General Counsel may agree on a proposed settlement of the award before final action on the application. If an applicant and the General Counsel agree on a proposed settlement of an award before an application has been filed, the proposed settlement shall be filed with the application. All such settlements shall be subject to approval by the Authority.

(a) The determination of an award may be made on the basis of the documents in the record, or the Administrative Law Judge, upon request of either the applicant or the General Counsel, or on his or her own initiative, may order further proceedings. Such further proceedings may include, but shall not be limited to, an informal conference, oral argument, additional written submissions, or an evidentiary hearing.

(b) A request that the Administrative Law Judge order further proceedings under this section shall specifically identify the disputed issues and the evidence sought to be adduced, and shall explain why the additional proceedings are necessary to resolve the issues.

(c) An order of the Administrative Law Judge scheduling oral argument, additional written submissions, or an evidentiary hearing, shall specify the issues to be considered in such argument, submission, or hearing.

(d) Any evidentiary hearing held pursuant to this section shall be conducted not earlier than forty-five (45) days after the date on which the application is served. In all other respects, such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with §§ 2423.14, 2423.16, 2423.17, 2423.19 through 2423.21, 2423.23, and 2423.24, insofar as these sections are consistent with the provisions of this part.

(a) Upon conclusion of proceedings under §§ 2430.6 to 2430.11, the Administrative Law Judge shall prepare a decision. The decision shall include written findings and conclusions on the applicant's status as a prevailing party and eligibility, and an explanation of the reasons for any difference between the amount requested and the amount awarded. The decision shall also include, if at issue, findings on whether the agency's position was substantially justified, whether the applicant unduly protracted the proceedings, or whether special circumstances make an award unjust. The Administrative Law Judge shall cause the decision to be served promptly on all parties to the proceeding. Thereafter, the Administrative Law Judge shall transmit the case to the Authority, including the judge's decision and the record. Service of the Administrative Law Judge's decision and of the order transferring the case to the Board shall be complete upon mailing.

(b) The record in a proceeding on an application for an award of fees and expenses shall consist of the application for an award of fees and expenses and any amendments or attachments thereto, the net worth exhibit, the answer and any amendments or attachments thereto, any reply to the answer, any comments by other parties, motions, rulings, orders, stipulations, written submissions, the stenographic transcript of oral argument, the stenographic transcript of the hearing, exhibits and depositions, together with the Administrative Law Judge's decision, and the exceptions and briefs as provided in § 2430.13, and the record of the unfair labor practice proceeding upon which the application is based.

Procedures before the Authority, including the filing of exceptions to the administrative law judge's decision rendered pursuant to § 2430.12, and action by the Authority, shall be in accordance with §§ 2423.26(c), 2423.27, and 2423.28 of these rules. The Authority's review of the matter shall be in accordance with § 2423.29(a).

To obtain payment of an award made by the Authority the applicant shall submit to the Executive Director of the Authority a copy of the Authority's final decision granting the award, accompanied by a statement that the applicant will not seek court review of the decision. The amount awarded will then be paid unless judicial review of the award, or of the underlying decision, has been sought by the applicant or any other party to the proceeding.