Special review

(a) An OPM employee subject to salary offset or a voluntary repayment agreement, may, at any time, request a special review by the Office of the amount of the salary offset or voluntary payment, based on materially changed circumstances such as, but not limited to, catastrophic illness, divorce, death, or disability.

(b) In determining whether an offset would prevent the employee from meeting essential subsistence expenses (food, housing, clothing, transportation and medical care), the employee shall submit a detailed statement and supporting documents for the employee, his or her spouse, and dependents indicating:

(1) Income from all sources;

(2) Assets;

(3) Liabilities;

(4) Number of dependents;

(5) Expenses for food, housing, clothing and transportation;

(6) Medical expenses; and

(7) Exceptional expenses, if any.

If an OPM employee requests a special review under this section, the employee shall file an alternative proposed offset or payment schedule and a statement, with supporting documents (§ 179.210(b)), stating why the current salary offset or payments result in an extreme financial hardship to the employee.

(c) The Director shall evaluate the statement and supporting documents, and determine whether the original offset or repayment schedule imposes an extreme financial hardship on the employee. The Director shall notify the employee in writing of such determination, including, if appropriate, a revised offset or repayment schedule.

(d) If the special review results in a revised offset or repayment schedule, the OPM salary offset coordinator shall provide a new certification to the payroll office.