USC Subchapter I

in effect

5 U.S.C. § 4301 Definitions

Except as otherwise expressly provided, for the purpose of this subchapter— (1) “agency” means—(A) an Executive agency; and (B) the Government Publishing Office; but does not include— (i) a Government corporation; (ii) the Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, or any Executive agency or unit thereof which is designated by the President and the principal function of which is the conduct of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence activities; or (iii) the Government Accountability Office; (2) “employee” means an individual employed in or under an agency, but does not include—(A) an employee outside the United States who is paid in accordance with local native prevailing wage rates for the area in which employed; (B) an individual in the Foreign Service of the United States; (C) a physician, dentist, nurse, or other employee in the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs whose pay is fixed under chapter 73 of title 38; (D) an administrative law judge appointed under section 3105 of this title; (E) an individual in the Senior Executive Service or the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration Senior Executive Service; (F) an individual appointed by the President; (G) an individual occupying a position not in the competitive service excluded from coverage of this subchapter by regulations of the Office of Personnel Management; or (H) an individual who (i) is serving in a position under a temporary appointment for less than one year, (ii) agrees to serve without a performance evaluation, and (iii) will not be considered for a reappointment or for an increase in pay based in whole or in part on performance; and (3) “unacceptable performance” means performance of an employee which fails to meet established performance standards in one or more critical elements of such employee’s position.

5 U.S.C. § 4302 Establishment of performance appraisal systems

(a) Each agency shall develop one or more performance appraisal systems which—(1) provide for periodic appraisals of job performance of employees; (2) encourage employee participation in establishing performance standards; and (3) use the results of performance appraisals as a basis for training, rewarding, reassigning, promoting, reducing in grade, retaining, and removing employees. (b)(1) The head of each agency, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and the Special Counsel, shall develop criteria that—(A) the head of the agency shall use as a critical element for establishing the job requirements of a supervisory employee; and (B) promote the protection of whistleblowers. (2) The criteria required under paragraph (1) shall include—(A) principles for the protection of whistleblowers, such as the degree to which supervisory employees—(i) respond constructively when employees of the agency make disclosures described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 2302(b)(8); (ii) take responsible actions to resolve the disclosures described in clause (i); and (iii) foster an environment in which employees of the agency feel comfortable making disclosures described in clause (i) to supervisory employees or other appropriate authorities; and (B) for each supervisory employee—(i) whether the agency entered into an agreement with an individual who alleged that the supervisory employee committed a prohibited personnel practice; and (ii) if the agency entered into an agreement described in clause (i), the number of instances in which the agency entered into such an agreement with respect to the supervisory employee. (3) In this subsection—(A) the term “agency” means any entity the employees of which are covered under paragraphs (8) and (9) of section 2302(b), without regard to whether any other provision of this section is applicable to the entity; (B) the term “prohibited personnel practice” has the meaning given the term in section 2302(a)(1); (C) the term “supervisory employee” means an employee who would be a supervisor, as defined in section 7103(a), if the agency employing the employee was an agency for purposes of chapter 71; and (D) the term “whistleblower” means an employee who makes a disclosure described in section 2302(b)(8). (c) Under regulations which the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe, each performance appraisal system shall provide for—(1) establishing performance standards which will, to the maximum extent feasible, permit the accurate evaluation of job performance on the basis of objective criteria (which may include the extent of courtesy demonstrated to the public) related to the job in question for each employee or position under the system; (2) as soon as practicable, but not later than October 1, 1981, with respect to initial appraisal periods, and thereafter at the beginning of each following appraisal period, communicating to each employee the performance standards and the critical elements of the employee’s position; (3) evaluating each employee during the appraisal period on such standards; (4) recognizing and rewarding employees whose performance so warrants; (5) assisting employees in improving unacceptable performance; and (6) reassigning, reducing in grade, or removing employees who continue to have unacceptable performance but only after an opportunity to demonstrate acceptable performance. (d) In accordance with regulations which the Office shall prescribe, the head of an agency may administer and maintain a performance appraisal system electronically.

5 U.S.C. § 4303 Actions based on unacceptable performance

(a) Subject to the provisions of this section, an agency may reduce in grade or remove an employee for unacceptable performance. (b)(1) An employee whose reduction in grade or removal is proposed under this section is entitled to—(A) 30 days’ advance written notice of the proposed action which identifies—(i) specific instances of unacceptable performance by the employee on which the proposed action is based; and (ii) the critical elements of the employee’s position involved in each instance of unacceptable performance; (B) be represented by an attorney or other representative; (C) a reasonable time to answer orally and in writing; and (D) a written decision which—(i) in the case of a reduction in grade or removal under this section, specifies the instances of unacceptable performance by the employee on which the reduction in grade or removal is based, and (ii) unless proposed by the head of the agency, has been concurred in by an employee who is in a higher position than the employee who proposed the action. (2) An agency may, under regulations prescribed by the head of such agency, extend the notice period under subsection (b)(1)(A) of this section for not more than 30 days. An agency may extend the notice period for more than 30 days only in accordance with regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management. (c) The decision to retain, reduce in grade, or remove an employee—(1) shall be made within 30 days after the date of expiration of the notice period, and (2) in the case of a reduction in grade or removal, may be based only on those instances of unacceptable performance by the employee—(A) which occurred during the 1-year period ending on the date of the notice under subsection (b)(1)(A) of this section in connection with the decision; and (B) for which the notice and other requirements of this section are complied with. (d) If, because of performance improvement by the employee during the notice period, the employee is not reduced in grade or removed, and the employee’s performance continues to be acceptable for 1 year from the date of the advance written notice provided under subsection (b)(1)(A) of this section, any entry or other notation of the unacceptable performance for which the action was proposed under this section shall be removed from any agency record relating to the employee. (e) Any employee who is—(1) a preference eligible; (2) in the competitive service; or (3) in the excepted service and covered by subchapter II of chapter 75, and who has been reduced in grade or removed under this section is entitled to appeal the action to the Merit Systems Protection Board under section 7701. (f) This section does not apply to—(1) the reduction to the grade previously held of a supervisor or manager who has not completed the probationary period under section 3321(a)(2) of this title, (2) the reduction in grade or removal of an employee in the competitive service who is serving a probationary or trial period under an initial appointment or who has not completed 1 year of current continuous employment under other than a temporary appointment limited to 1 year or less, (3) the reduction in grade or removal of an employee in the excepted service who has not completed 1 year of current continuous employment in the same or similar positions, or (4) any removal or demotion under section 714 of title 38.

5 U.S.C. § 4304 Responsibilities of the Office of Personnel Management

(a) The Office of Personnel Management shall make technical assistance available to agencies in the development of performance appraisal systems. (b)(1) The Office shall review each performance appraisal system developed by any agency under this section and determine whether the performance appraisal system meets the requirements of this subchapter. (2) The Comptroller General shall from time to time review on a selected basis performance appraisal systems established under this subchapter to determine the extent to which any such system meets the requirements of this subchapter and shall periodically report its findings to the Office and to the Congress. (3) If the Office determines that a system does not meet the requirements of this subchapter (including regulations prescribed under section 4305), the Office shall direct the agency to implement an appropriate system or to correct operations under the system, and any such agency shall take any action so required.

5 U.S.C. § 4305 Regulations

The Office of Personnel Management may prescribe regulations to carry out the purpose of this subchapter.