(a) Policy. A GAO employee may be suspended for 14 days or less for such cause as will promote the efficiency of GAO (including discourteous conduct to the public confirmed by an immediate supervisor's report of four such instances within any 1-year period or any other pattern of discourteous conduct). Suspension means placing an employee, for disciplinary reasons, temporarily in a status without duties and pay.

(b) Employee entitlement. An employee against whom a suspension for 14 days or less is proposed is entitled to—

(1) An advance written notice stating the specific reasons for the proposed action;

(2) A reasonable time to answer orally and in writing and to furnish affidavits and other documentary evidence in support of the answer;

(3) Be represented by an attorney or other representative; and

(4) A written decision and the specific reasons therefore at the earliest practicable date.

(c) Documentation. Copies of the notice of proposed action, the answer of the employee if written, a summary thereof if made orally, the notice of decision and reasons therefor, and any order effecting the suspension, together with any supporting material, shall be maintained by Personnel and shall be furnished to the employee affected upon the employee's request.

(d) Nonapplicability. This section is not applicable to—(1) An employee who is serving a trial period under an initial appointment in GAO or who has not completed 1 year of current continuous employment in the same or similar positions in GAO under other than a temporary appointment limited to 1 year or less.

(2) A suspension in the interest of national security.