Title 5 — Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§9813 Limited appointments to Senior Executive Service positions

Title 5 › Part PART III— - EMPLOYEES › Subpart Subpart I— - Miscellaneous › Chapter CHAPTER 98— - NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION › § 9813

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The law lets the Administrator fill some top jobs on a short-term basis and sets rules for how that works. Career reserved position — a senior job that normally must be filled by a career official. Limited emergency appointee — a type of short-term hire (defined elsewhere). Limited term appointee — a temporary Senior Executive Service hire for a real short-term need, decided by the Administrator. No more than 10 percent of career reserved positions may be filled by those limited emergency or limited term hires. Limited term appointments can be up to 4 years for jobs that end then, or up to 1 year for ongoing jobs. In rare cases the Administrator can extend a 4-year appointment by up to 2 years or a 1-year appointment by up to 1 year. A person cannot serve more than 7 years in a row in limited appointments. If the person came from a career job, OPM sets reemployment rules and can place them back in an agency. Limited term hires may also get the same performance awards as career officials.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §9813

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section—

(1)the term “career reserved position” means a position in the Administration designated under section 3132(b) which may be filled only by—

(A)a career appointee; or

(B)a limited emergency appointee or a limited term appointee—

(i)who, immediately before entering the career reserved position, was serving under a career or career-conditional appointment outside the Senior Executive Service; or

(ii)whose limited emergency or limited term appointment is approved in advance by the Office of Personnel Management;

(2)the term “limited emergency appointee” has the meaning given under section 3132; and

(3)the term “limited term appointee” means an individual appointed to a Senior Executive Service position in the Administration to meet a bona fide temporary need, as determined by the Administrator.

(b)The number of career reserved positions which are filled by an appointee as described under subsection (a)(1)(B) may not exceed 10 percent of the total number of Senior Executive Service positions allocated to the Administration.

(c)Notwithstanding section 3132 and 3394(b)—

(1)the Administrator may appoint an individual to any Senior Executive Service position in the Administration as a limited term appointee under this section for a period of—

(A)4 years or less to a position the duties of which will expire at the end of such term; or

(B)1 year or less to a position the duties of which are continuing; and

(2)in rare circumstances, the Administrator may authorize an extension of a limited appointment under—

(A)paragraph (1)(A) for a period not to exceed 2 years; and

(B)paragraph (1)(B) for a period not to exceed 1 year.

(d)A limited term appointee who has been appointed in the Administration from a career or career-conditional appointment outside the Senior Executive Service shall have reemployment rights in the agency from which appointed, or in another agency, under requirements and conditions established by the Office of Personnel Management. The Office shall have the authority to direct such placement in any agency.

(e)Notwithstanding section 3394(b) and section 3395—

(1)a limited term appointee serving under a term prescribed under this section may be reassigned to another Senior Executive Service position in the Administration, the duties of which will expire at the end of a term of 4 years or less; and

(2)a limited term appointee serving under a term prescribed under this section may be reassigned to another continuing Senior Executive Service position in the Administration, except that the appointee may not serve in 1 or more positions in the Administration under such appointment in excess of 1 year, except that in rare circumstances, the Administrator may approve an extension up to an additional 1 year.

(f)A limited term appointee may not serve more than 7 consecutive years under any combination of limited appointments.

(g)Notwithstanding section 5384, the Administrator may authorize performance awards to limited term appointees in the Administration in the same amounts and in the same manner as career appointees.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 9813

Title 5 — Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73