(a) In response to a notice of intent to offset against an employee's salary to recover a debt owed to the Board, an employee may propose to the Board that he or she be allowed to repay the debt through direct payments as an alternative to salary offset. Any employee who wishes to repay a debt without salary offset must submit in writing a proposed agreement to repay the debt. The proposal must admit the existence of the debt and set forth a proposed repayment schedule. The employee's proposal must be received by the official designated in the notice of intent within 15 calendar days after the employee received the notice.

(b) In response to a timely proposal by the debtor, the Executive Director will notify the employee whether the employee's proposed written agreement for repayment is acceptable. It is within the Executive Director's discretion to accept a repayment agreement instead of proceeding by salary offset.

(c) If the Executive Director decides that the proposed repayment agreement is unacceptable, the employee will have 15 days from the date he or she received notice of the decision to file a petition for a hearing.

(d) If the Executive Director decides that the proposed repayment agreement is acceptable, the alternative arrange ment must be in writing and signed by both the employee and the Executive Director.