Title 2, The CongressRelease 119-110
§1403 Mediation
Title 2 › CHAPTER 24 — CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY › SUBCHAPTER IV — ADMINISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL DISPUTE-RESOLUTION PROCEDURES › § 1403
Summary
When an employee files a claim, the Office must tell both the employee and the employing office about how mediation works and what deadlines apply. Either the employee or the employing office can ask for mediation from the time they get that notice until a hearing officer issues a written decision or the employee files a civil action. If the other side agrees, the Office quickly picks a mediator and does the mediation. Not asking for mediation or refusing it cannot be used against a party in any review, hearing, or lawsuit about the claim. Mediation can include the Office, the employee, the employing office, and one or more mediators from a master list. Parties may meet together or meet separately if anyone asks. Mediation lasts 30 days starting the day after both sides agree. The parties can jointly ask for one extra 30-day extension. Any claim deadline that has not already passed when mediation starts is put on hold during mediation. The Office must tell both parties in writing when mediation ends. A mediator for a case cannot later help in a hearing or be forced to testify about that same matter. The Executive Director must keep a list of experienced mediators and may consider candidates recommended by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service or the Administrative Conference of the United States.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §1403
The Congress, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Availability of mediation
(1)Notification regarding mediation
(A)Covered employee
Upon receipt of a claim under section 1402 of this title, the Office shall notify the covered employee who filed the claim about the process for mediation under this section and the deadlines applicable to such mediation.
(B)Employing office
Upon transmission to the employing office of the claim pursuant to section 1402(b) of this title, the Office shall notify the employing office about the process for mediation under this section and the deadlines applicable to such mediation.
(2)Initiation
(A)In general
During the period described in subparagraph (B), either the covered employee who filed a claim under section 1402 of this title or the employing office named in the claim may file a request for mediation with the Office, which shall promptly notify the other party. If the other party agrees to the request, the Office shall promptly assign a mediator to the claim, and conduct mediation under this section.
(B)Timing
A covered employee or an employing office may file a request for mediation under subparagraph (A) during the period beginning on the date that the covered employee or employing office, respectively, receives a notification under paragraph (1) regarding a claim under section 1402 of this title and ending on the date on which a hearing officer issues a written decision relating to the claim under section 1405(g) of this title or the covered employee files a civil action with respect to the claim in accordance with section 1408 of this title, as applicable.
(3)Failure to request or accept mediation to have no effect on treatment of claim
The failure of a party to request mediation under this section with respect to a claim, or the failure of a party to agree to a request for mediation under this section, may not be taken into consideration under any procedure under this title with respect to the claim, including a preliminary review under section 1402a of this title, a formal hearing under section 1405 of this title, or a civil action under section 1408 of this title.
(b)Process
Mediation under this section
(1)
(2)shall involve meetings with the parties during which, at the request of any of the parties, the parties shall be separated, for the purpose of resolving the dispute between the covered employee and the employing office.
(c)Mediation period
The mediation period shall be 30 days, beginning on the first day after the second party agrees to the request for the mediation. The mediation period may be extended for one additional period of 30 days at the joint request of the covered employee and employing office. Any deadline in this chapter relating to a claim for which mediation has been agreed to in this section, that has not already passed by the first day of the mediation period, shall be stayed during the mediation period. The Office shall notify in writing the covered employee and the employing office when the mediation period has ended.
(d)Independence of mediation process
No individual, who is appointed by the Executive Director to mediate, may conduct or aid in a hearing conducted under section 1405 of this title with respect to the same matter or shall be subject to subpoena or any other compulsory process with respect to the same matter.
(e)Master list of mediators
(1)Development and maintenance of master list
The Executive Director shall develop and maintain a master list of individuals who are experienced in adjudicating, arbitrating, or mediating the kinds of personnel and other matters for which mediation may be held under this section. Such list may include, but not be limited to, members of the bar of a State or the District of Columbia and retired judges of the United States courts.
(2)Consideration of candidates
In developing the master list under this subsection, the Executive Director shall consider candidates recommended by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service or the Administrative Conference of the United States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 104–1, Jan. 23, 1995, 109 Stat. 3, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 1301 of this title and Tables.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 404 of Pub. L. 104–1 was classified to section 1404 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 115–397, title I, § 101(c)(1), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5301.
Amendments
2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–397, § 104(a), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Not later than 15 days after receipt by the employee of notice of the end of the counseling period under section 1402 of this title, but prior to and as a condition of making an election under section 1404 of this title, the covered employee who alleged a violation of a law shall file a request for mediation with the Office.” Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–397, § 104(b), substituted “meetings with the parties during which, at the request of any of the parties, the parties shall be separated,” for “meetings with the parties separately or jointly”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–397, § 104(c), substituted “The mediation period shall be 30 days, beginning on the first day after the second party agrees to the request for the mediation. The mediation period may be extended for one additional period of 30 days at the joint request of the covered employee and employing office. Any deadline in this chapter relating to a claim for which mediation has been agreed to in this section, that has not already passed by the first day of the mediation period, shall be stayed during the mediation period.” for “The mediation period shall be 30 days beginning on the date the request for mediation is received. The mediation period may be extended for additional periods at the joint request of the covered employee and the employing office.” 2015—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 114–6, § 2(a)(1), substituted “from the master list developed and maintained under subsection (e)” for “after considering recommendations by organizations composed primarily of individuals experienced in adjudicating or arbitrating personnel matters”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–6, § 2(a)(2), added subsec. (e).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–397 effective upon expiration of the 180-day period beginning on Dec. 21, 2018, with provisions for effect on pending proceedings, see section 401 of Pub. L. 115–397, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.
Effective Date
of 2015 Amendment Pub. L. 114–6, § 2(d), Mar. 20, 2015, 129 Stat. 82, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section and section 1404 and 1416 of this title] shall apply with respect to mediations and other proceedings which are first initiated after the date of the enactment of this Act [Mar. 20, 2015].”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 1403
Title 2, The Congress
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110