Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§9131 Definitions

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 116— - CORONAVIRUS ECONOMIC STABILIZATION (CARES ACT) › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - ECONOMIC STABILIZATION AND ASSISTANCE TO SEVERELY DISTRESSED SECTORS OF THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY › Part Part F— - Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection › § 9131

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires rules for who can get federal help to keep pay and benefits at the same level they were on April 1, 2020. An eligible employee group is up to 25% of a company’s U.S. workers, all paid $200,000 or less a year, and doing aviation manufacturing or maintenance work. An aviation manufacturing company must be U.S.-organized, do most of its aviation work and employ most workers in the U.S., meet FAA or industry production/repair quality standards, and have had either at least a 10% involuntary furlough/layoff in 2020 versus 2019 or at least a 15% drop in 2020 revenues versus 2019. The company must prove the eligible group with sworn financial data, promise to put in private funds, accept federal funds so total pay stays at the April 1, 2020 level, give immediate notice if it later furloughs more than 10% of workers not in the eligible group, and must not have furloughed or cut pay for the eligible group between application and signing. Companies holding certain large transport-category production certificates must also agree not to lay off or cut pay for the eligible group through September 30, 2021 (or for the full agreement period if that runs longer). Employee — defined by section 203 of title 29; Employer — an aviation manufacturing company that fits that employer definition; Private contribution — the employer’s share that covers 50% of the eligible group’s total compensation; Public contribution — the federal share that covers the other 50%; Secretary — the Secretary of Transportation; Total compensation level — the base pay plus benefits for eligible employees as of April 1, 2020, not counting overtime, premium pay, or payroll taxes.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §9131

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this part:
(1)The term “eligible employee group” means the portion of an employer’s United States workforce that—
(A)does not exceed 25 percent of the employer’s total United States workforce as of April 1, 2020; and
(B)contains only employees with a total compensation level of $200,000 or less per year; and
(C)is engaged in aviation manufacturing activities and services, or maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities and services.
(2)The term “aviation manufacturing company” means a corporation, firm, or other business entity—
(A)that—
(i)actively manufactures an aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or a component, part, or systems of an aircraft or aircraft engine under a Federal Aviation Administration production approval;
(ii)holds a certificate issued under part 145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, for maintenance, repair, and overhaul of aircraft, aircraft engines, components, or propellers; or
(iii)operates a process certified to SAE AS9100 related to the design, development, or provision of an aviation product or service, including a part, component, or assembly;
(B)which—
(i)is established, created, or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States; and
(ii)has significant operations in, and a majority of its employees engaged in aviation manufacturing activities and services, or maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities and services based in the United States;
(C)which has involuntarily furloughed or laid off at least 10 percent of its workforce in 2020 as compared to 2019 or has experienced at least a 15 percent decline in 2020 revenues as compared to 2019;
(D)that, as supported by sworn financial statements or other appropriate data, has identified the eligible employee group and the amount of total compensation level for the eligible employee group;
(E)that agrees to provide private contributions and maintain the total compensation level for the eligible employee group for the duration of an agreement under this part;
(F)that agrees to provide immediate notice and justification to the Secretary of involuntary furloughs or layoffs exceeding 10 percent of the workforce that is not included in an eligible employee group for the duration of an agreement and receipt of public contributions under this part;
(G)that has not conducted involuntary furloughs or reduced pay rates or benefits for the eligible employee group, subject to the employer’s right to discipline or terminate an employee in accordance with employer policy, between the date of application and the date on which such a corporation, firm, or other business entity enters into an agreement with the Secretary under this part; and
(H)that—
(i)in the case of a corporation, firm, or other business entity including any parent company or subsidiary of such a corporation, firm, or other business entity, that holds any type or production certificate or similar authorization issued under section 44704 of title 49, United States Code, with respect to a transport-category airplane covered under part 25 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, certificated with a passenger seating capacity of 50 or more, agrees to refrain from conducting involuntary layoffs or furloughs, or reducing pay rates and benefits, for the eligible employee group, subject to the employer’s right to discipline or terminate an employee in accordance with employer policy from the date of agreement until September 30, 2021, or the duration of the agreement and receipt of public contributions under this part, whichever period ends later; or
(ii)in the case of corporation, firm, or other business entity not specified under subparagraph (i), agrees to refrain from conducting involuntary layoffs or furloughs, or reducing pay rates and benefits, for the eligible employee group, subject to the employer’s right to discipline or terminate an employee in accordance with employer policy for the duration of the agreement and receipt of public contributions under this part.
(3)The term “employee” has the meaning given that term in section 203 of title 29.
(4)The term “employer” means an aviation manufacturing company that is an employer (as defined in section 203 of title 29).
(5)The term “private contribution” means the contribution funded by the employer under this part to maintain 50 percent of the eligible employee group’s total compensation level, and combined with the public contribution, is sufficient to maintain the total compensation level for the eligible employee group as of April 1, 2020.
(6)The term “public contribution” means the contribution funded by the Federal Government under this part to provide 50 percent of the eligible employees group’s total compensation level, and combined with the private contribution, is sufficient to maintain the total compensation level for those in the eligible employee group as of April 1, 2020.
(7)The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Transportation.
(8)The term “total compensation level” means the level of total base compensation and benefits being provided to an eligible employee group employee, excluding overtime and premium pay, and excluding any Federal, State, or local payroll taxes paid, as of April 1, 2020.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and not as part of the CARES Act which in part comprises this chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 9131

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73