INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT:
On September 9, 2014, a Notice of Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Rules of the Office of Compliance (“Office” or “OOC”), as amended in June 2004 (“2004 Procedural Rules” or “2004 Rules”) was published in the Congressional Record at S5437, and H7372. As required under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (”Act”) at section 303(b) (2 U.S.C. 1383(b)), a 30 day period for comments from interested parties followed. In response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Office received a number of comments regarding the proposed amendments. Specifically, the Office received comments from the Committee on House Administration, the Office of the Senate Chief Counsel for Employment, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Architect of the Capitol, and the U.S. Capitol Police Labor Committee.
The Executive Director and the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance have reviewed all comments received regarding the Notice, have made certain additional changes to the proposed amendments in response thereto, and herewith issue the final Amended Procedural Rules (Rules) as authorized by section 303(b) of the Act, which states in part: “Rules shall be considered issued by the Executive Director as of the date on which they are published in the Congressional Record.” See, 2 U.S.C. 1383(b).
These Procedural Rules of the Office of Compliance may be found on the Office’s web site: www.compliance.gov.
(CAA), PL 104-1, was enacted into law on January 23, 1995. The CAA applies the rights and protections of 13 federal labor and employment statutes to covered employees and employing offices within the Legislative Branch of Government. Section 301 of the CAA (2 U.S.C. 1381) established the Office of Compliance as an independent office within that Branch. Section 303 (2 U.S.C. 1383) directed that the Executive Director, as the Chief Operating Officer of the agency, adopt rules of procedure governing the Office of Compliance, subject to approval by the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance.
