(a) Jurisdiction of the Commission; issues on review. Unless the Commission orders otherwise, a direction for review establishes jurisdiction in the Commission to review the entire case. The issues to be decided on review are within the discretion of the Commission.
(b) Review on a Commissioner's motion; issues on review. At any time within 30 days after the docketing date of the Judge's report, a Commissioner may, on the Commissioner's own motion, direct that a Judge's decision be reviewed. Factors that may be considered in deciding whether to direct review absent a petition include, but are not limited to, whether the case raises novel questions of law or policy or involves a conflict between Administrative Law Judges' decisions. When a Commissioner directs review on the Commissioner's own motion, the issues ordinarily will be those specified in the direction for review or any later order.
(c) Issues not raised before Judge. The Commission will ordinarily not review issues that the Judge did not have the opportunity to pass upon. In exercising discretion to review issues that the Judge did not have the opportunity to pass upon, the Commission may consider such factors as whether there was good cause for not raising the issue before the Judge, the degree to which the issue is factual, the degree to which proceedings will be disrupted or delayed by raising the issue on review, whether the ability of an adverse party to press a claim or defense would be impaired, and whether considering the new issue would avoid injustice or ensure that judgment will be rendered in accordance with the law and facts.