Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§3642 Appointment and Compensation; Duties

Title 22 › CHAPTER 51 — PANAMA CANAL › SUBCHAPTER I — ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATIONS › Part 2 — Employees › subpart i — panama canal commission personnel › § 3642

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Commission may hire the officers and employees it needs (except the Administrator and Deputy Administrator) and set their pay, jobs, and duties to run and keep up the Panama Canal and its related facilities and equipment. People who work for any other Executive agency or the Smithsonian, including members of the uniformed services, can serve for the Commission if appointed under this part or section 3614. Anyone who was a Commission officer or employee on November 17, 1997, and has worked there continuously since then, cannot have a basic pay rate lower than what they earned on that date, unless pay is lowered by a union contract, as a result of disciplinary action, or because they took a lower-level job.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §3642

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Officers and employees
In accordance with this part, the Commission may appoint, fix the compensation of, and define the authority and duties of officers and employees (other than the Administrator and Deputy Administrator) necessary for the management, operation, and maintenance of the Panama Canal and its complementary works, installations, and equipment.
(b)Eligibility to serve as officer or employee of Commission
Individuals serving in any Executive agency (other than the Commission) or the Smithsonian Institution, including individuals in the uniformed services, may, if appointed under this section or section 3614 of this title, serve as officers or employees of the Commission.
(c)Salary protection
In the case of an individual who is an officer or employee of the Commission on November 17, 1997, and who has not had a break in service with the Commission since that date, the rate of basic pay for that officer or employee may not be less than the rate in effect for that officer or employee on that date except—
(1)as provided in a collective bargaining agreement;
(2)as a result of an adverse action against the officer or employee; or
(3)pursuant to a voluntary demotion.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–261, § 3512(a)(1)(C), which directed substitution of “that date” for “the day before the date of enactment”, was executed by making the substitution for “the day before that date of enactment” before “except” in introductory provisions to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 105–261, § 3512(a)(1)(A), (B), in introductory provisions, substituted “November 17, 1997,” for “the day before the date of the enactment of the Panama Canal Transition Facilitation Act of 1997” and struck out “on or after that date” after “pay for that officer or employee”. 1997—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–85 added subsec. (c). 1996—Pub. L. 104–201 amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “(a) In accordance with this part, the Panama Canal Commission may appoint without regard to the provisions of title 5, relating to appointments in the competitive service, fix the compensation of, and define the authority and duties of, officers, agents, attorneys, and employees (other than the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and Chief Engineer) necessary for the management, operation, and maintenance of the Panama Canal and its complementary works, installations, and equipment. “(b) Individuals serving in any Executive agency (other than the Commission) or the Smithsonian Institution, including individuals serving in the uniformed services, may, if appointed under this section or section 3613 or 3614 of this title, serve as officers or employees of the Commission.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 3642

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110