42 USC § 7231 - Officers and employees

(a) Authority of Secretary to appoint and fix compensation

In the performance of his functions the Secretary is authorized to appoint and fix the compensation of such officers and employees, including attorneys, as may be necessary to carry out such functions. Except as otherwise provided in this section, such officers and employees shall be appointed in accordance with the civil service laws and their compensation fixed in accordance with title 5.

(b) Appointment of scientific, engineering, etc., personnel without regard to civil service laws; compensation; termination of authority

(1) Subject to the limitations provided in paragraph (2) and to the extent the Secretary deems such action necessary to the discharge of his functions, he may appoint not more than three hundred eleven of the scientific, engineering, professional, and administrative personnel of the department without regard to the civil service laws, and may fix the compensation of such personnel not in excess of the maximum rate payable for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5.

(2) The Secretary’s authority under this subsection to appoint an individual to such a position without regard to the civil service laws shall cease—

(A) when a person appointed, within four years after October 1, 1977, to fill such position under paragraph (1) leaves such position, or

(B) on the day which is four years after such date,

whichever is later.

(c) Placement of GS–16, GS–17, and GS–18 positions without regard to section 3324 of title 5; termination of authority

(1) Subject to the provisions of chapter 51 of title 5 but notwithstanding the last two sentences of section 5108(a)  ^[1] of such title, the Secretary may place at GS–16, GS–17, and GS–18, not to exceed one hundred seventy-eight positions of the positions subject to the limitation of the first sentence of section 5108(a)  ^[1] of such title.

(2) Appointments under this subsection may be made without regard to the provisions of sections 3324 of title 5, relating to the approval by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management of appointments under GS–16, GS–17, and GS–18 if the individual placed in such position is an individual who is transferred in connection with a transfer of functions under this chapter and who, immediately before October 1, 1977, held a position and duties comparable to those of such position.

(3) The Secretary’s authority under this subsection with respect to any position shall cease when the person first appointed to fill such position leaves such position.

(d) Appointment of additional scientific, engineering, etc., personnel without regard to civil service laws; compensation

In addition to the number of positions which may be placed at GS–16, GS–17, and GS–18 under section 5108 of title 5, under existing law, or under this chapter, and to the extent the Secretary deems such action necessary to the discharge of his functions, he may appoint not more than two hundred of the scientific, engineering, professional, and administrative personnel without regard to the civil service laws and may fix the compensation of such personnel not in excess of the maximum rate payable for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5.

(e) Determination of maximum aggregate number of positions

For the purposes of determining the maximum aggregate number of positions which may be placed at GS–16, GS–17, or GS–18 under section 5108 (a) of title 5, 63 percent of the positions established under subsections (b) and (c) of this section shall be deemed GS–16 positions, 25 percent of such positions shall be deemed GS–17 positions, and 12 percent of such positions shall be deemed GS–18.

(f) Intelligence and intelligence-related positions exempt from competitive service

All positions in the Department which the Secretary determines are devoted to intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government are excepted from the competitive service, and the individuals who occupy such positions as of August 14, 1991, shall, while employed in such positions, be exempt from the competitive service.

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[1]  See References in Text note below.

Source

(Pub. L. 95–91, title VI, § 621,Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 596; 1978 Reorg. Plan No. 2, § 102, eff. Jan. 1, 1979, 43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3784; Pub. L. 102–88, title IV, § 403,Aug. 14, 1991, 105 Stat. 434.)

References in Text

Section 5108 (a) of title 5, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), was amended generally by Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title I, § 102(b)(2)], Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1427, 1443, and, as so amended, contains only one sentence.

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (c)(2) and (d), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 95–91, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 565, known as the Department of Energy Organization Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7101 of this title and Tables.

Codification

August 14, 1991, referred to in subsec. (f), was in the original “the date of enactment of this Act”, which was translated as meaning the date of enactment of Pub. L. 102–88, which enacted subsec. (f) of this section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Amendments

1991—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 102–88added subsec. (f).

Transfer of Functions

“Director of the Office of Personnel Management” substituted for “Civil Service Commission” in subsec. (c)(2), pursuant to Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1978, § 102,43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783, set out under section 1101 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, which transferred all functions vested by statute in United States Civil Service Commission to Director of Office of Personnel Management (except as otherwise specified), effective Jan. 1, 1979, as provided by section 1–102 of Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, set out under section 1101 of Title 5.

References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, § 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.

Authority for Appointment of Certain Scientific, Engineering, and Technical Personnel

Pub. L. 103–337, div. C, title XXXI, § 3161,Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3095, as amended by Pub. L. 105–85, div. C, title XXXI, § 3139,Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2040; Pub. L. 105–261, div. C, title XXXI, §§ 3152, 3155,Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2253, 2257; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [div. C, title XXXI, § 3191], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–480; Pub. L. 107–314, div. C, title XXXI, § 3174,Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2745, which was formerly set out as a note under this section, was renumbered section 4601 ofPub. L. 107–314, the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003, by Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, § 3141(i)(2),Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1776, and is classified to section 2701 of Title 50, War and National Defense.