Title 5Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§7204 Other prohibitions

Title 5 › Part PART III— - EMPLOYEES › Subpart Subpart F— - Labor-Management and Employee Relations › Chapter CHAPTER 72— - ANTIDISCRIMINATION; RIGHT TO PETITION CONGRESS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - ANTIDISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT › § 7204

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Agencies must not discriminate against a person or the job they hold because of race, color, religion, sex, or marital status when applying chapter 51, subchapters III and IV of chapter 53, and sections 305 and 3324. The Office of Personnel Management can make rules needed to enforce that ban.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §7204

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

[(a)Repealed. Pub. L. 90–83, § 1(44), Sept. 11, 1967, 81 Stat. 208.]
(b)In the administration of chapter 51, subchapters III and IV of chapter 53, and section 305 and 3324 of this title, discrimination because of race, color, creed, sex, or marital status is prohibited with respect to an individual or a position held by an individual.
(c)The Office of Personnel Management may prescribe regulations necessary for the administration of subsection (b) of this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

1966 Act DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large (a)5 U.S.C. 33.R.S. § 165. (b)5 U.S.C. 1074.Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, § 1103, 63 Stat. 972. In subsection (a), the words “Executive department” are substituted for “department” as the definition of “department” applicable to this section is coextensive with the definition of “Executive department” in section 101. The words “or military department” are inserted to preserve the application of the source law. Before enactment of the National Security Act

Amendments

of 1949 (63 Stat. 578), the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force were Executive departments. The National Security Act

Amendments

of 1949 established the Department of Defense as an Executive department including the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force as military departments, not as Executive departments. However, the source law for this subsection, which was in effect in 1949, remained applicable to the Secretaries of the military departments by virtue of section 12(g) of the National Security Act

Amendments

of 1949 (63 Stat. 591), which is set out in the reviser’s note for section 301. The words “in the discretion of” are omitted as unnecessary in view of the permissive grant of authority. The words “positions in the department” are substituted for “any of the clerkships therein authorized by law”. The words “upon the same requisites and conditions” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “legal pay of the position to which appointed” are substituted for “same compensations, as are prescribed for men”. This subsection was part of title IV of the Revised Statutes. The Act of July 26, 1947, ch. 343, § 201(d), as added Aug. 10, 1949, ch. 412, § 4, 63 Stat. 579 (former 5 U.S.C. 171–1), which provides “Except to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of this Act [National Security Act of 1947], the provisions of title IV of the Revised Statutes as now or hereafter amended shall be applicable to the Department of Defense” is omitted from this title, but is not repealed. Subsection (c) is added on authority of former section 1072 and 1072a, which are codified in section 5115. Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report. 1967 ActThis section deletes subsection (a) of 5 U.S.C. 7154 to reflect the repeal of the source statute of that subsection by Public Law 89–261, 79 Stat. 987.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1978—Pub. L. 95–454, § 703(a)(1), renumbered section 7154 of this title as this section. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95–454, § 906(a)(2), substituted “Office of Personnel Management” for “Civil Service Commission”. 1972—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 92–392 inserted reference to subchapter IV of chapter 53 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1978 AmendmentAmendment by section 906(a)(2) of Pub. L. 95–454 effective 90 days after Oct. 13, 1978, see section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1972 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 92–392 effective on first day of first applicable pay period beginning on or after 90th day after Aug. 19, 1972, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 92–392, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 5341 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 7204

Title 5Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73