(a) Request for hearing. An employee shall file a petition for a hearing in accordance with the instructions outlined in the creditor agency's notice of salary offset.

(1) If the Board is the creditor agency, a hearing may be requested by filing a written petition stating why the employee disputes the existence or amount of the debt or the repayment schedule if it was not established by written agreement between the employee and the Board. The employee shall sign the petition and fully identify and explain with reasonable specificity all the facts, evidence, and witnesses, if any, which the employee believes support his or her position. The petition for a hearing must be received no later than fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of the notice of offset unless the employee can show that the delay in meeting the deadline date was because of circumstances beyond his or her control or because of failure to receive notice of the time limit (unless he or she was otherwise aware of it).

(2) [Reserved]

(b) Failure to submit timely request for hearing. If the employee fails to submit a request for hearing within the time period described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the employee will have waived the right to a hearing, and salary offset may be initiated. The Board, however, shall accept a late request for hearing if the employee can show that the late request was the result of circumstances beyond the employee's control or because of a failure to receive actual notice of the filing deadline.

(c) Hearing official. The Board must obtain the services of a hearing official who is not under the supervision or control of the Board. The Board may contact the Chief Financial Officer to request a hearing official.

(d) Notice of hearing. After the employee requests a hearing, the designated hearing official shall inform the employee of the form of the hearing to be provided. For oral hearings, the notice shall set forth the date, time, and location of the hearing. For paper hearings, the notice shall notify the employee of the date by which he or she should submit written arguments to the designated hearing official. The hearing official shall give the employee reasonable time to submit documentation in support of the employee's position. The hearing official shall schedule a new hearing date if requested by both parties. The hearing official shall give both parties reasonable notice of the time and place of a rescheduled hearing.

(e) Oral hearing. The hearing official will conduct an oral hearing if he or she determines that the matter cannot be resolved by review of documentary evidence alone (for example, when an issue of credibility or veracity is involved). The hearing need not take the form of an evidentiary hearing, but may be conducted in a manner determined by the hearing official, including but not limited to:

(1) Informal conferences with the hearing official, in which the employee and agency representative will be given full opportunity to present evidence, witnesses, and argument;

(2) Informal meetings with an interview of the employee by the hearing official; or

(3) Formal written submissions, with an opportunity for oral presentation.

(f) Paper hearing. If the hearing official determines that an oral hearing is not necessary, he or she will make the determination based upon a review of the available written record, including any documentation submitted by the employee in support of his or her position.

(g) Failure to appear or submit documentary evidence. In the absence of good cause shown (for example, excused illness), if the employee fails to appear at an oral hearing or fails to submit documentary evidence as required for a paper hearing, the employee will have waived the right to a hearing, and salary offset may be initiated. Further, the employee will have been deemed to admit the existence and amount of the debt as described in the notice of intent to offset. If the Board's representative fails to appear at an oral hearing, the hearing official shall proceed with the hearing as scheduled and will make his or her determination based upon the oral testimony presented and the documentary evidence submitted by both parties.

(h) Burden of proof. The Board will have the initial burden to prove the existence and amount of the debt. Thereafter, if the employee disputes the existence or amount of the debt, the employee must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that no debt exists or that the amount of the debt is incorrect. In addition, the employee may present evidence that the proposed terms of the repayment schedule are unlawful, would cause a financial hardship to the employee, or that collection of the debt may not be pursued due to operation of law.

(i) Record. The hearing official shall maintain a summary record of any hearing provided by this part. Witnesses will testify under oath or affirmation in oral hearings.

(j) Date of decision. The hearing official shall issue a written opinion stating his or her decision, based upon documentary evidence and information developed at the hearing, as soon as practicable after the hearing, but not later than 60 days after the date on which the request for hearing was received by the Board. If the employee requests a delay in the proceedings, the deadline for the decision may be postponed by the number of days by which the hearing was postponed. When a decision is not timely rendered, the Board shall waive penalties applied to the debt for the period beginning with the date the decision is due and ending on the date the decision is issued. The written decision must include:

(1) A statement of the facts presented to demonstrate the nature and origin of the alleged debt;

(2) The hearing official's analysis, findings, and conclusions;

(3) The amount and validity of the debt; and

(4) The repayment schedule, where appropriate.