The Department must give employees at least 10 days, which must run concurrently with the notice period, to reply orally and/or in writing to a notice of proposed adverse action. However, if there is reasonable cause to believe the employee has committed a crime for which a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed, the Department must give the employee at least 5 days, which must run concurrently with the notice period, to reply orally and/or in writing.

The opportunity to reply orally does not include the right to a formal hearing with examination of witnesses.

During the opportunity to reply, the Department must give the employee a reasonable amount of official time to review the Department's supporting evidence, and to furnish affidavits and other documentary evidence, if the employee is otherwise in an active duty status.

The Department must designate an official to receive the employee's written and/or oral response. The official must have authority to make or recommend a final decision on the proposed adverse action.

The employee may be represented by an attorney or other representative of the employee's choice and at the employee's expense, subject to paragraph (f) of this section. The employee must provide the Department with a written designation of his or her representative.

The Department may disallow as an employee's representative—

An individual whose activities as representative would cause a conflict between the interest or position of the representative and that of the Department,

An employee of the Department whose release from his or her official position would give rise to unreasonable costs or whose work assignments preclude his or her release; or

An individual whose activities as representative could compromise security.

An employee who wishes the Department to consider any medical condition that may be relevant to the proposed adverse action must provide medical documentation, as that term is defined at 5 CFR 339.104, during the opportunity to reply, whenever possible.

When considering an employee's medical documentation, the Department may require or offer a medical examination pursuant to 5 CFR part 339, subpart C.

When considering an employee's medical condition, the Department is not required to withdraw or delay a proposed adverse action. However, the Department must—

Allow the employee to provide medical documentation during the opportunity to reply;

Comply with 29 CFR 1614.203 and relevant Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rules; and

Comply with 5 CFR 831.1205 when issuing a decision to remove.