PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

People who worked for the Panama Canal Company or the Canal Zone Government and were moved to the new Commission, to another U.S. agency or the Smithsonian in Panama, or who lost their jobs on September 30, 1979 but got a Commission job by April 1, 1980, must have employment terms that are no worse than what they had on September 30, 1979 (or on the date they moved if that was before that date). Those protections cover nine types of pay and benefits, including premium and night pay, reinstatement/restoration rights, injury and death compensation, reduction‑in‑force rights, grievance and appeal rights, veterans’ preference, holidays, saved pay, and severance pay. If someone in that second group missed service time by more than 3 days right after September 30, 1979, but otherwise met the service needed for early retirement under Title 5 (see sections 8336(i) and 8339(d)(2)), they will be treated as if they met the requirement. Any break from September 30, 1979 until their appointment will count as creditable service under section 8332, but it won’t count toward average pay and no contributions are required under section 8334. Teachers who moved from Canal Zone schools to Department of Defense schools in Panama are not covered by Title 20 section 903(c) until the pay under that law equals or exceeds the pay they had, and section 904(a)(2) does not apply. Agency heads may allow such teachers an up-to-11-month sabbatical in the U.S. with basic pay kept the same, no loss of leave or service credit, and possible travel expenses. Sabbaticals may be granted only once in any 10‑year period, only after 7 years of teaching, not if eligible for immediate retirement, and require the teacher to serve two consecutive years afterward or repay the sabbatical costs unless excused.

Title 22, §3671

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Terms and conditions of employment

(1)With respect to any individual employed in the Panama Canal Company or the Canal Zone Government—

(A)who is transferred—

(i)to a position in the Commission; or

(ii)to a position in an Executive agency or in the Smithsonian Institution the permanent duty station of which is in the Republic of Panama (including the area known before October 1, 1979, as the Canal Zone); or

(B)who is separated by reason of a reduction in force on September 30, 1979, and is appointed to a position in the Commission before April 1, 1980;

the terms and conditions of employment set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be generally no less favorable, on or after the date of the transfer referred to in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph or the date of the appointment referred to in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, as the case may be, than the terms and conditions of employment with the Panama Canal Company and Canal Zone Government on September 30, 1979, or, in the case of a transfer described in subparagraph (A)(ii) of this paragraph which takes place before that date, on the date of the transfer.

(2)The terms and conditions of employment referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection are the following:

(A), (B) Repealed. Pub. L. 105–261, div. C, title XXXV, § 3507(a), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2269.

(C)premium pay and night differential;

(D)reinstatement and restoration rights;

(E)injury and death compensation benefits;

(F)to (H) Repealed. Pub. L. 105–261, div. C, title XXXV, § 3507(a), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2269.

(I)reduction-in-force rights;

(J)an employee grievance system, and the right to appeal adverse and disciplinary actions and position classification actions;

(K)veterans’ preference eligibility;

(L)holidays;

(M)saved pay provisions; and

(N)severance pay benefits.

(b)Break in service

Any individual described in subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section who would have met the service requirement for early retirement benefits under section 8336(i) or 8339(d)(2) of title 5 (as amended by section 1241(a) and 1242 of this Act, respectively), but for a break in service of more than 3 days immediately after September 30, 1979, shall be considered to meet that requirement. Any break in service by any such individual for purposes of section 8332 of such title 5 during the period beginning September 30, 1979, and ending on the date of the appointment referred to in such subsection (a)(1)(B) shall be considered a period of creditable service under such section 8332 for such individual, except that such period shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining average pay (as defined in section 8331(4) of such title 5) and no deduction, contribution, or deposit shall be required for that period under section 8334 of such title 5.

(c)Applicability of section 903(c) and 904(a)(2) of title 20; sabbaticals

(1)section 903(c) of title 20 shall not apply with respect to any teacher who was employed by the Canal Zone Government school system on September 30, 1979, and who was transferred from such position to a teaching position which is under the Department of Defense Overseas Dependent School System and the permanent duty station of which is in the Republic of Panama, until the rates of basic compensation established under section 903(c) of title 20 equal or exceed the rates of basic compensation then in effect for teachers who were so transferred.

(2)section 904(a)(2) of title 20 shall not apply with respect to any teacher who was employed by the Canal Zone Government school system on September 30, 1979, and who was transferred from such position to a teaching position which is under the Department of Defense Overseas Dependent School System and the permanent duty station of which is in the Republic of Panama.

(3)(A)The head of a department or agency of the United States may grant a sabbatical to any teacher to whom paragraph (1) of this subsection applies for not to exceed 11 months in order to permit the teacher to engage in study or uncompensated work experience which is in the United States and which will contribute to the teacher’s development and effectiveness. Basic compensation shall be paid to teachers on sabbatical under this section in the same manner and to the same extent as basic compensation would have been paid to teachers on sabbatical while employed in the Canal Zone Government school system on September 30, 1979. A sabbatical shall not result in a loss of, or reduction in, leave to which the teacher is otherwise entitled, credit for time or service, or performance or efficiency rating. The head of the department or agency may authorize in accordance with chapter 57 of title 5 such travel expenses (including per diem allowance) as the head of the department or agency may determine to be essential for the study or experience.

(B)A sabbatical under this paragraph may not be granted to any teacher—

(i)more than once in any 10-year period;

(ii)unless the teacher has completed 7 years of service as a teacher; and

(iii)if the teacher is eligible for voluntary retirement with a right to an immediate annuity.

(C)(i)Any teacher in a department or agency of the United States may be granted a sabbatical under this paragraph only if the teacher agrees, as a condition of accepting the sabbatical, to serve in the civil service upon the completion of the sabbatical for a period of two consecutive years.

(ii)Each agreement required under clause (i) of this subparagraph shall provide that in the event the teacher fails to carry out the agreement (except for good and sufficient reason as determined by the head of the department or agency that granted the sabbatical) the teacher shall be liable to the United States for payment of all expenses (including salary) of the sabbatical. The amount shall be treated as a debt due the United States.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 96–70, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 452, known as the Panama Canal Act of 1979, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3601 of this title and Tables. Codification section 1231(d) of Pub. L. 96–70 amended section 5595, 5724a, and 8102 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (a)(2)(A), (B). Pub. L. 105–261 struck out subpars. (A) and (B) which read as follows: “(A) rates of basic pay; “(B) tropical differential;”. Subsec. (a)(2)(F) to (H). Pub. L. 105–261 struck out subpars. (F) to (H) which read as follows: “(F) leave and travel; “(G) transportation and repatriation benefits; “(H) group health and life insurance;”. 1997—Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 105–85 substituted “

September 30, 1979” for “the day before

October 1, 1979”. 1996—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 104–201 struck out par. (3) which read as follows: “(3)(A) The provisions of this subsection shall take effect on

September 27, 1979. “(B) No spending authority (as described in section 651(c)(2)(C) of title 2) provided for under this subsection shall take effect before

October 1, 1979. “(C) Effective

October 1, 1979, any individual who, but for subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, would have been entitled to one or more payments pursuant to this subsection for periods before

October 1, 1979, shall be entitled, to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts, to a lump sum payment equal to the total amount of all such payments.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 Amendment Pub. L. 105–261, div. C, title XXXV, § 3507(a), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2269, provided that the amendment made by section 3507(a) striking out subsec. (a)(2)(A), (B), and (F) to (H) of this section is effective 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), Dec. 30, 1999, and any right or condition of employment provided for in, or arising from, subsec. (a)(2)(A), (B), and (F) to (H) of this section is terminated.

§3671 Transferred or Reemployed Employees