Title 5 — Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§4508 Limitation of awards during a Presidential election year

Title 5 › Part PART III— - EMPLOYEES › Subpart Subpart C— - Employee Performance › Chapter CHAPTER 45— - INCENTIVE AWARDS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - AWARDS FOR SUPERIOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS › § 4508

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

No senior politically appointed officer may get an award under this part of the law during a Presidential election period. A Presidential election period runs from June 1 in a year in which the popular election of the President occurs until January 20 after that election. A senior politically appointed officer means someone in a high political job: either a non‑career Senior Executive Service appointee or a confidential or policy‑making Schedule C position.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §4508

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For purposes of this section, the term—

(1)“Presidential election period” means any period beginning on June 1 in a calendar year in which the popular election of the President occurs, and ending on January 20 following the date of such election; and

(2)“senior politically appointed officer” means any officer who during a Presidential election period serves—

(A)in a Senior Executive Service position and is not a career appointee as defined under section 3132(a)(4); or

(B)in a position of a confidential or policy-determining character under schedule C of subpart C of part 213 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b)No senior politically appointed officer may receive an award under the provisions of this subchapter during a Presidential election period.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 4508

Title 5 — Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73