966.3—Definitions.
(a)
Administrative offset refers to the withholding of money payable by the Postal Service or the United States to, or held by the Postal Service or the United States for, a former employee in order to satisfy a debt determined to be owed by the former employee to the Postal Service.
(b)
Debt refers to any amount determined by the Postal Service to be owed to the Postal Service by a former employee.
(c)
Former employee refers to an individual whose employment with the Postal Service has ceased. An employee is considered formally separated from the Postal Service rolls as of close of business on the effective date of his or her separation. Postal Service Form 50.
(d)
General Counsel refers to the General Counsel of the Postal Service, and includes a designated representative.
(e)
Hearing Official refers to an Administrative Law Judge qualified to hear cases under the Administrative Procedure Act, an Administrative Judge appointed under the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, or any other qualified person licensed to practice law designated by the Judicial Officer to preside over a hearing conducted pursuant to this part.
(f)
Judicial Officer refers to the Judicial Officer, Associate Judicial Officer, or Acting Judicial Officer of the Postal Service.
(g)
Postmaster/Installation Head refers to the top management official at a particular post office or installation when an alleged debt owed by a former employee was incurred, or to that official's successor, or to the department head who had general supervisory responsibility for a former employee at Area Offices or National Headquarters when an alleged debt owed by that former employee was incurred, or to that official's successor. Where the former employee was a Postmaster/Installation Head, the term refers to the official to whom the Postmaster/Installation Head reported when an alleged debt owed by that former employee was incurred, or to that official's successor. Where the former employee was in the Inspection Service, the term refers to the former employee's immediate supervisor when an alleged debt owed by that former employee was incurred, or to that official's successor. Where the former employee was in the Office of Inspector General, the term refers to the Inspector General, or to the Inspector General's delegate.
(h)
Reconsideration refers to the review of an alleged debt and/or the proposed offset schedule conducted by the Postmaster/Installation Head at the request of a former employee alleged to be indebted to the Postal Service.
(i)
Recorder refers to the Recorder, Judicial Officer Department, United States Postal Service, 2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 600, Arlington, VA 22201-3078.