(a) ED promptly refers to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service or to the mediation agency designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, all complaints that—

(1) Fall within the jurisdiction of the Act and these regulations, unless the age distinction complained of is clearly within an exemption under § 110.2(b); and

(2) Contain all information necessary for further processing.

(b) Both the complainant and the recipient shall participate in the mediation process to the extent necessary to reach an agreement or to make an informed judgment that an agreement is not possible. The recipient and the complainant need not meet with the mediator at the same time, and the meeting may be conducted by telephone or other means of effective dialogue if a personal meeting between the party and the mediator is impractical.

(c) If the complainant and the recipient reach an agreement, the mediator shall prepare a written statement of the agreement and have the complainant and recipient sign it. The mediator shall send a copy of the agreement to ED. ED takes no further action on the complaint unless informed that the complainant or the recipient fails to comply with the agreement, at which time ED reinstates the complaint.

(d) The mediator shall protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of the mediation process. No mediator shall testify in any adjudicative proceeding, produce any document, or otherwise disclose any information obtained in the course of the mediation process without prior approval of the head of the mediation agency.

(e) The mediation will proceed for a maximum of 60 days after a complaint is filed with ED. Mediation ends if—

(1) 60 days elapse from the time the complaint is received;

(2) Prior to the end of the 60-day period, an agreement is reached; or

(3) Prior to the end of the 60-day period, the mediator determines that agreement cannot be reached.

(f) The mediator shall return unresolved complaints to ED.