§ 17.125 - Scope.

(a) The provisions set forth in §§17.125 through 17.140 are the Department's procedures for the collection by salary offset of a Federal employee's pay to satisfy certain debts owed the government.

(b) These regulations apply to collections by the Secretary from:

(1) Current employees of the Department and other agencies who owe debts to the Department; and

(2) Current employees of the Department who owe debts to other agencies.

(c) These regulations do not apply to debts or claims arising under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (26 U.S.C. 1–9602); the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301–1397f); the tariff laws of the United States; or to any case where collection of a debt by salary offset is explicitly provided for or prohibited by another statute.

(d) These regulations identify the types of salary offset available to the Department, as well as certain rights provided to the employee, which include a written notice before deductions begin, the opportunity to petition for a hearing and to receive a written decision if a hearing is granted. These employee rights do not apply to any adjustment to pay arising out of an employee's election of coverage or a change in coverage under a Federal benefits program requiring periodic deductions from pay, if the amount to be recovered was accumulated over four pay periods or less.

(e) Nothing in these regulations precludes the compromise, suspension or termination of collection actions where appropriate under the Department's regulations contained elsewhere in this subpart (see 24 CFR 17.60 through 17.77).