§7008 Administrative matters

Summary

People appointed under sections 7002, 7003, 7004, or 7005 are not federal employees while doing that work. They are treated as federal employees only for injury compensation and tort claims under chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28. Normally, those appointees do not get paid for serving as a representative, alternate, scientific expert, or advisory panel member. The Secretary may, however, hire and pay a person named under section 7003(a) to serve as a scientific expert on the scientific review group if that person is not employed by the United States, a State, or an Indian tribal government, under section 3109 of title 5. The Secretary must pay necessary travel costs for these appointees under the Federal Travel Regulations and sections 5701, 5702, 5704 through 5708, and 5731 of title 5. For two independent members and two public advisors to the scientific review group (jointly appointed under section 7003(c)) and one independent member of the joint technical committee (jointly appointed under section 7004(b)), the Secretary may pay up to 50 percent of any pay and of their necessary travel expenses.