PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION OF ALLEGED VIOLATIONS.

SEC. 401. PROCEDURE FOR CONSIDERATION OF ALLEGED VIOLATIONS. Except as otherwise provided, the procedure for consideration of alleged violations of part A of title II consists of— (1) counseling as provided in section 402; (2) mediation as provided in section 403; and (3) election, as provided in section 404, of either— (A) a formal complaint and hearing as provided in section 405, subject to Board review as provided in section 406, and judicial review in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit as provided in section 407, or (B) a civil action in a district court of the United States as provided in section 408. In the case of an employee of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol or of the Capitol Police, the Executive Director, after receiving a request for counseling under section 402, may recommend that the employee use the grievance procedures of the Architect of the Capitol or the Capitol Police for resolution of the employee’s grievance for a specific period of time, which shall not count against the time available for counseling or mediation.