§ 251.36 - Pre-arbitration and post-arbitration employment restrictions.

(a) The Librarian of Congress will not select any arbitrator who was employed at any time during the period of five years immediately preceding the date of that arbitrator's selection by any party to, or any person, organization or entity with a financial interest in, the proceeding for which he or she is being considered. However, a listed arbitrator may disclose on the record the past employment causing disqualification and may ask the parties to consider whether to allow him or her to serve in the proceeding, in which case any agreement by the parties to allow the listed arbitrator to serve shall be unanimous and shall be incorporated into the record of the proceeding.

(b) No arbitrator may arrange for future employment with any party to, or any person, organization, or entity with a financial interest in, the proceeding in which he or she is serving.

(c) For a period of three years from the date of submission of the arbitration panel's report to the Librarian, no arbitrator may enter into employment with any party to, or any person, organization, or entity with a financial interest in, the particular proceeding in which he or she served.

(d) For purposes of this section, “employed” or “employment” means any business relationship involving the provision of personal services including, but not limited to, personal services as an officer, director, employee, agent, attorney, consultant, contractor, general partner or trustee, but does not include serving as an arbitrator, mediator, or neutral engaged in alternative dispute resolution.