§677 Counselor to the Chief Justice

Summary

The Chief Justice can hire a Counselor who works as long as the Chief Justice wants and does the jobs the Chief Justice assigns. The Chief Justice sets the Counselor’s pay, but it cannot be higher than the pay for the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The Counselor can choose to join the same retirement plan as that Director under section 611 by filing a written choice the way and when section 611 requires. With the Chief Justice’s OK, the Counselor can hire and pay needed staff. The Counselor and those staff are treated as Supreme Court employees. With the Chief Justice’s OK, the Counselor can also accept unpaid volunteers for public and visitor programs if each volunteer signs a written waiver giving up claims against the United States except claims under chapter 81 of title 5. Volunteers are not U.S. employees except for chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of this title. The Counselor must not use volunteers in a way that cuts pay or replaces any Supreme Court employee. The Counselor must also set up a hiring and retention program, under section 908 of the Emergency Supplemental Act, 2002 (2 U.S.C. 1926), for Supreme Court Police and other key employees who agree in writing to stay at least two years.