(a) Authority—(1) General. The Administrative Review Board has jurisdiction to hear and decide in its discretion appeals concerning questions of law and fact from investigative findings letters of the Administrator issued under § 23.510(c)(1) or (2), Administrator's rulings issued under § 23.580, and decisions of Administrative Law Judges issued under § 23.550.

(2) Limit on scope of review. (i) The Board shall not have jurisdiction to pass on the validity of any provision of this part. The Board is an appellate body and shall decide cases properly before it on the basis of substantial evidence contained in the entire record before it. The Board shall not receive new evidence into the record.

(ii) The Equal Access to Justice Act, as amended, does not apply to proceedings under this part. Accordingly, the Administrative Review Board shall have no authority to award attorney's fees and/or other litigation expenses pursuant to the provisions of the Equal Access to Justice Act for any proceeding under this part.

(b) Decisions. The Board's final decision shall be issued within a reasonable period of time following receipt of the petition for review and shall be served upon all parties by mail to the last known address and on the Chief Administrative Law Judge (in cases involving an appeal from an Administrative Law Judge's decision).

(c) Orders. If the Board concludes a violation occurred, the final order shall mandate action to remedy the violation, including, but not limited to, monetary relief for unpaid wages. Where the Administrator has sought imposition of debarment, the Board shall determine whether an order imposing debarment is appropriate. The Board's order is subject to discretionary review by the Secretary as provided in Secretary's Order 01-2020 (or any successor to that order).

(d) Finality. The decision of the Administrative Review Board shall become the final order of the Secretary in accordance with Secretary's Order 01-2020 (or any successor to that order), which provides for discretionary review of such orders by the Secretary.