Title 5Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§5331 Definitions; application

Title 5 › Part PART III— - EMPLOYEES › Subpart Subpart D— - Pay and Allowances › Chapter CHAPTER 53— - PAY RATES AND SYSTEMS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - GENERAL SCHEDULE PAY RATES › § 5331

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key terms under section 5102; applies to chapter 51 workers except Senior Executive Service, the FBI and DEA Senior Executive Service, and posts under section 5376.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §5331

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For the purpose of this subchapter, “agency”, “employee”, “position”, “class”, and “grade” have the meanings given them by section 5102 of this title.
(b)This subchapter applies to employees and positions to which chapter 51 applies, other than Senior Executive Service positions, positions in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration Senior Executive Service, and positions to which section 5376 applies.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

The section is added on authority of former section 1081, 1082, 1084, and 1091, which are carried into section 5102.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–509 amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “This subchapter applies to employees and positions, other than Senior Executive Service positions and positions in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug

Enforcement

Administration Senior Executive Service, to which chapter 51 of this title applies.” 1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–325 inserted reference to positions in Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug

Enforcement

Administration Senior Executive Service. 1978—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–454 inserted reference to Senior Executive Service positions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1990 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–509 effective on such date as the President shall determine, but not earlier than 90 days, and not later than 180 days, after Nov. 5, 1990, see section 529 [title III, § 305] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out as a note under section 5301 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1978 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 95–454 effective 9 months after Oct. 13, 1978, and congressional review of provisions of sections 401 through 412 of Pub. L. 95–454, see section 415 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 3131 of this title. References in Other Laws to Chapter 51 and Subchapter III of Chapter 53References in laws to fix pay in accordance with this subchapter and chapter 51 of this title considered to include authority under section 5376 of this title, if applicable, but not to include any authority under section 5304 of this title or section 529 [title III, § 302] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out as a note under section 5304 of this title, see section 529 [title I, § 101(c)(2)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates;

Regulations

note under section 5376 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 5331

Title 5Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73