(a) It is the policy of DOE to provide for the security of its programs in a manner consistent with traditional American concepts of justice and fairness. To this end, the Secretary has established criteria for determining eligibility for access authorization and procedures that will afford those individuals described in Sec. 710.2 the opportunity for administrative review of questions concerning their eligibility for access authorization.
(b) It is also the policy of DOE that none of the procedures established by DOE for determining eligibility for access authorization shall be used for an improper purpose, including any attempt to coerce, restrain, threaten, intimidate, or retaliate against individuals for exercising their rights under any statute, regulation or DOE directive. Any DOE officer or employee violating, or causing the violation of this policy, shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.
(c) If the individual is currently awaiting a hearing or trial, or has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment of six (6) months or longer, or is awaiting or serving a form of preprosecution probation, suspended or deferred sentencing, court ordered probation, or parole in conjunction with an arrest or criminal charges initiated against the individual for a crime that is punishable by imprisonment of six (6) months or longer, DOE may suspend processing an application for access authorization until such time as the hearing, trial, criminal prosecution, suspended sentencing, deferred sentencing, probation, or parole has been completed.
(d) DOE may suspend processing an application for access authorization if sufficient information about the individual's background cannot be obtained to meet the investigative scope and extent requirements for the access authorization requested.
(e) DOE may suspend processing an application for access authorization until such time as a question regarding an individual's national allegiance is resolved. For example, if an individual is exercising rights of citizenship conferred by a country other than the United States, DOE will be concerned with whether granting access authorization to that individual constitutes an unacceptable national security risk.
(f) DOE may suspend processing an application for access authorization whenever an individual fails to fulfill the responsibilities described in Sec. 710.6.
(g) If an individual believes that the provisions of paragraph (c), (d), or (e) of this section have been inappropriately applied, a written appeal may be filed with the Director, Office of Personnel Security, DOE Headquarters, within 30 calendar days of the date the individual was notified of the action. The Director shall act on the written appeal as described in section 710.6(c). [59 FR 35185, July 8, 1994, as amended at 66 FR 47062, Sept. 11, 2001; 71 FR 68730, Nov. 28, 2006]