§2996d Officers and employees

Summary

The Board must hire the Corporation’s president, who must be a lawyer admitted to the highest court of a State and who will sit on the Board without a vote. The Board also hires other officers it needs. Officers can only be paid by the Corporation while they work there, unless the Board allows otherwise, and they serve at the Board’s pleasure. The president, following Board rules, may hire and fire employees. No one may use political tests when hiring, promoting, or picking grantees or contractors. A Board member must not take part in any matter that directly helps that member or a firm they are or were linked to within two years. The Board sets pay, but it cannot exceed level V of the Executive Schedule (section 5316 of title 5). Except where stated here, staff and the Corporation are not treated as a federal agency, though OMB may review the annual budget. For workers’ compensation, retirement, life insurance, and health insurance the Corporation’s staff are treated as federal employees under subchapter I of chapter 81 and chapters 83, 87, and 89 of title 5, and the Corporation must pay the same contribution rates as federal agencies. The Corporation and its staff must follow section 552 of title 5 (Freedom of Information).