§3904 — Title 14 Coast Guard | U.S. Code

Summary

Members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary are not federal employees for most purposes. They are not covered by regular federal employment rules like hours, pay, leave, unemployment benefits, federal employee benefits, ethics rules, or conflict-of-interest laws. The Commandant can still set rules for how Auxiliary members must behave. When an Auxiliary member is assigned to duty, they count as a federal employee only for certain legal claims and protections: Chapter 171 of Title 28 (Federal Tort Claims Act); section 2733 of Title 10 (Military Claims Act); section 30101 and Chapters 309 and 311 of Title 46 (Admiralty/Maritime acts); other noncontract civil liability issues; work-injury benefits under Chapter 81 of Title 5; claims for damage or loss of personal property under 31 U.S.C. 3721; and section 651 of Public Law 104–208. While on duty, they also are treated as acting under a U.S. officer or agency for purposes of 28 U.S.C. 1442(a)(1).

Title 14, §3904

Coast Guard — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary shall not be considered to be a Federal employee and shall not be subject to the provisions of law relating to Federal employment, including those relating to hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment compensation, Federal employee benefits, ethics, conflicts of interest, and other similar criminal or civil statutes and regulations governing the conduct of Federal employees. However, nothing in this subsection shall constrain the Commandant from prescribing standards for the conduct and behavior of members of the Auxiliary.

(b)A member of the Auxiliary while assigned to duty shall be deemed to be a Federal employee only for the purposes of the following:

(1)Chapter 171 of title 28 (popularly known as the Federal Tort Claims Act).

(2)Section 2733 of title 10 (popularly known as the Military Claims Act).

(3)Section 30101 of title 46 (popularly known as the Admiralty Extension Act).

(4)Chapter 309 of title 46 (known as the Suits in Admiralty Act).

(5)Chapter 311 of title 46 (known as the Public Vessels Act).

(6)Other matters related to noncontractual civil liability.

(7)Compensation for work injuries under chapter 81 of title 5.

(8)The resolution of claims relating to damage to or loss of personal property of the member incident to service under the Military Personnel and Civilian Employees’ Claims Act of 1964 (31 U.S.C. 3721).11 See References in Text note below.

(9)section 651 of Public Law 104–208.

(c)A member of the Auxiliary, while assigned to duty, shall be deemed to be a person acting under an officer of the United States or an agency thereof for purposes of section 1442(a)(1) of title 28.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Military Personnel and Civilian Employees’ Claims Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (b)(8), is Pub. L. 88–558, Aug. 31, 1964, 78 Stat. 767, which enacted sections 240 to 243 of former Title 31, Money and Finance, amended section 2735 of Title 10, Armed Forces, and repealed section 490 of this title and section 2732 of Title 10, and which was repealed by Pub. L. 97–258, § 5(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1068, the first section of which enacted Title 31, Money and Finance. For disposition of sections of former Title 31 into revised Title 31, see Table preceding section 101 of Title 31. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. section 651 of Public Law 104–208, referred to in subsec. (b)(9), is section 101(f) [title VI, § 651] of Pub. L. 104–208, which is set out as a note under section 8133 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 823a of this title as this section. Subsec. (b)(9). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “Section” for “On or after

January 1, 2001, section”. 2016—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 114–120 substituted “Chapter 171” for “Chapter 26”. 2006—Subsec. (b)(3) to (5). Pub. L. 109–304 added pars (3) to (5) and struck out former pars. (3) to (5) which read as follows: “(3) The Act of

March 3, 1925 (46 App. U.S.C. 781–790; popularly known as the Public Vessels Act). “(4) The Act of

March 9, 1920 (46 App. U.S.C. 741–752; popularly known as the Suits in Admiralty Act). “(5) The Act of

June 19, 1948 (46 App. U.S.C. 740; popularly known as the Admiralty Extension Act).” 2002—Subsec. (b)(9). Pub. L. 107–295 added par. (9).

§3904 Members of the Auxiliary; Status