Section 1.160  Disciplinary Charges and Amendments

a)         Charges must be specific enough to apprise the employee of the nature and substance of the cause alleged for discharge.  Written charges approved by the Director of Central Management Services seeking an employee's discharge, demotion or suspension totaling more than 30 days in any 12-month period shall contain a specific statement of facts that allege the cause for the proposed action sought against the employee.  If a breach of a statutory duty or a rule of the agency is alleged, the specific statute or rule shall be cited in connection with the charge.

b)         Charges shall be set forth in separate paragraphs and contain the dates, names of persons, places and information reasonably calculated to apprise the employee of the allegations that are the basis of the discipline.

c)         At any time prior to commencement of hearing or prior to the close of hearing, the Administrative Law Judge may, upon motion of a party, permit amendment of charges if no undue surprise results that would prejudice the opposing party's right to a prompt hearing or impose an injustice on either side.

(Source:  Amended at 34 Ill. Reg. 3485, effective March 3, 2010)