Testimony of Commission employees in private litigation.

§ 1016.4 Testimony of Commission employees in private litigation. (a) No Commission employee shall testify in his or her official capacity in any private litigation, without express authorization from the Commission's General Counsel. The Commission may, in its discretion, review a decision by the General Counsel to authorize such employee testimony. The General Counsel shall in such instances, where time permits, advise the Commission, on a no objection basis, of the authorization of such employee testimony. (b) If any Commission employee is served with a subpoena seeking testimony in private litigation, he or she must immediately notify the Office of the General Counsel. The Office of the General Counsel, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, will (1) take steps to quash the subpoena or (2) direct the employee to appear in response to the subpoena but refuse to testify on the ground that it is prohibited by this section. (c) If the General Counsel becomes aware of private litigation in which testimony by a Commission employee would be in the interests of the Commission, he or she may authorize such testimony, notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this section. The Commission may, in its discretion, review a decision by the General Counsel to authorize such employee testimony. The General Counsel shall in such instances, where time permits, advise the Commission, on a no objection basis, of the authorization of such employee testimony. Any such testimony must be provided in a way that minimizes the use of Commission resources as much as possible.