Key position.
Key position. A Federal position that shall not be vacated during a national emergency or mobilization without SERIOUSLY impairing the capability of the parent Federal Agency or office to function effectively. The four categories of Federal key positions are set out in this paragraph. The first three categories are, by definition, key positions. However, the third category, Article III Judges, provides for exceptions on a case-by-case basis. The fourth category requires a case-by-case determination and designation as described in the following:
(1) The Vice President of the United States or any official specified in the order of presidential succession as in 3 U.S.C. 19.
(2) The members of the Congress and the heads of the Federal Agencies appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate. For this part, the term “the heads of the Federal Agencies” does not-include any person appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate to a Federal Agency as a member of a multimember board or commission. Such positions may be designated as key positions only in accordance with paragraph (4) of this definition.
(3) Article III Judges. However, each Article III Judge, who is a member of the Ready Reserve and desires to remain in the Ready Reserve, must have his or her position reviewed by the Chief Judge of the affected Judge's Circuit. If the Chief Judge determines that mobilization of the Article III Judge concerned will not seriously impair the capability of the Judge's court to function effectively, the Chief Judge will provide a certification to that effect to the Secretary of the Military Department concerned. Concurrently, the affected Judge will provide a statement to the Secretary concerned requesting continued service in the Ready Reserve and acknowledging that he or she may be involuntarily called to active duty (AD) under the laws of the United States and the Directives and Regulations of the Department of Defense and pledging not to seek to be excused from such orders based upon his or her judicial duties.
(4) Other Federal positions determined by the Federal Agency heads, or their designees, to be key positions in accordance with the guidelines in the appendix to this part.
Source
32 CFR § 44.3
Scoping language
For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply: