Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110
§12651f Employees, Consultants, and Other Personnel
Title 42 › CHAPTER 129 — NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER I — NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE STATE GRANT PROGRAM › § 12651f
Summary
The Chief Executive Officer hires and pays the staff needed to run the Corporation, mostly following usual federal hiring rules. The CEO can also set up an alternative personnel system for certain jobs. Under that system, the CEO can hire people (including limited-term hires) and set pay without some normal federal rules, if the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approves the system. OPM can give employees who leave the Corporation competitive-service status, unless they were removed for cause. The alternative system must use a competitive selection process based on qualifications, include job classification, link pay in part to job performance, and cap pay at the annual rate for Executive Schedule Level IV. The CEO may hire temporary experts and consultants under federal rules for such services. The Corporation must name one employee for each State or group of States to act as the local representative and liaison to State Commissions and local grantees; that person is a nonvoting member of the State Commission. If that employee is hired under the alternative system, their pay cannot go above the GS–13 maximum. Federal agencies can detail employees to the Corporation on a reimbursable basis or for up to 180 calendar days per fiscal year without harming the employee’s civil service status. The CEO can create advisory committees, appoint members, allow travel expenses, and hire staff for them (with a GS–13 pay cap if hired outside normal federal hiring rules). The Corporation may also use personal services contracts for research, evaluation, and public awareness.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §12651f
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Employees
Except as provided in subsection (b), section 12651e(d) of this title, and section 414 of title 5, the Chief Executive Officer shall, in accordance with applicable provisions of title 5, appoint and determine the compensation of such employees as the Chief Executive Officer determines to be necessary to carry out the duties of the Corporation.
(b)Alternative personnel system
(1)Authority
The Chief Executive Officer may designate positions in the Corporation as positions to which the Chief Executive Officer may make appointments, and for which the Chief Executive Officer may determine compensation, without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, to the extent the Chief Executive Officer determines that such a designation is appropriate and desirable to further the effective operation of the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer may provide for appointments to such positions to be made on a limited term basis.
(2)Appointment in the competitive service after employment under alternative personnel system
The Director of the Office of Personnel Management may grant competitive status for appointment to the competitive service, under such conditions as the Director may prescribe, to an employee who is appointed under this subsection and who is separated from the Corporation (other than by removal for cause).
(3)Selection and compensation system
(A)Establishment of system
The Chief Executive Officer, after obtaining the approval of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, shall issue regulations establishing a selection and compensation system for employees of the Corporation appointed under paragraph (1). In issuing such regulations, the Chief Executive Officer shall take into consideration the need for flexibility in such a system.
(B)Application
The Chief Executive Officer shall appoint and determine the compensation of employees in accordance with the selection and compensation system established under subparagraph (A).
(C)Selection
The system established under subparagraph (A) shall provide for the selection of employees—
(i)through a competitive process; and
(ii)on the basis of the qualifications of applicants and the requirements of the positions.
(D)Compensation
The system established under subparagraph (A) shall include a scheme for the classification of positions in the Corporation. The system shall require that the compensation of an employee be determined in part on the basis of the job performance of the employee, and in a manner consistent with the principles described in section 5301 of title 5. The rate of compensation for each employee compensated under the system shall not exceed the annual rate of basic pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5.
(c)Corporation representative in each State
(1)Designation of representative
The Corporation shall designate 1 employee of the Corporation for each State or group of States to serve as the representative of the Corporation in the State or States and to assist the Corporation in carrying out the activities described in the national service laws in the State or States.
(2)Duties
The representative designated under this subsection for a State or group of States shall serve as the liaison between—
(A)the Corporation and the State Commission that is established in the State or States;
(B)the Corporation and any subdivision of a State, territory, Indian tribe, public or private nonprofit organization, or institution of higher education, in the State or States, that is awarded a grant under section 12571 of this title directly from the Corporation; and
(C)after the effective date of section 203(c)(2) of the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, the State Commission and the Corporation employee responsible for programs under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 [42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.] in the State, if the employee is not the representative described in paragraph (1) for the State.
(3)Nonvoting member of State Commission
The representative designated under this subsection for a State or group of States shall also serve as a nonvoting member of the State Commission established in the State or States, as described in section 12638(c)(3) of this title.
(4)Compensation
If the employee designated under paragraph (1) is an employee whose appointment was made pursuant to subsection (b), the rate of compensation for such employee may not exceed the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS–13 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5.
(d)Consultants
The Chief Executive Officer may procure the temporary and intermittent services of experts and consultants and compensate the experts and consultants in accordance with section 3109(b) of title 5.
(e)Details of personnel
The head of any Federal department or agency may detail on a reimbursable basis, or on a nonreimbursable basis for not to exceed 180 calendar days during any fiscal year, as agreed upon by the Chief Executive Officer and the head of the Federal agency, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Corporation to assist the Corporation in carrying out the duties of the Corporation under the national service laws. Any detail shall not interrupt or otherwise affect the civil service status or privileges of the Federal employee.
(f)Advisory committees
(1)Establishment
The Chief Executive Officer, acting upon the recommendation of the Board, may establish advisory committees in the Corporation to advise the Board with respect to national service issues, such as the type of programs to be established or assisted under the national service laws, priorities and criteria for such programs, and methods of conducting outreach for, and evaluation of, such programs.
(2)Composition
Such an advisory committee shall be composed of members appointed by the Chief Executive Officer, with such qualifications as the Chief Executive Officer may specify.
(3)Expenses
Members of such an advisory committee may be allowed travel expenses as described in section 12651b(d) of this title.
(4)Staff
(A)In general
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Chief Executive Officer is authorized to appoint and fix the compensation of such staff as the Chief Executive Officer determines to be necessary to carry out the functions of the advisory committee, without regard to—
(i)the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service; and
(ii)the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
(B)Compensation
If a member of the staff appointed under subparagraph (A) was appointed without regard to the provisions described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A), the rate of compensation for such member may not exceed the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS–13 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5.
(g)Personal services contracts
The Corporation may enter into personal services contracts to carry out research, evaluation, and public awareness related to the national service laws.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
section 203(c)(2) of the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(C), is section 203(c)(2) of Pub. L. 103–82, which is set out as a note under section 12651 of this title. For the
Effective Date
of section 203(c)(2) of this Act, see section 203(d) of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as an
Effective Date
of 1993 Amendment note under section 12651 of this title. The Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(C), is Pub. L. 93–113, Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 394, which is classified generally to chapter 66 (§ 4950 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 4950 of this title and Tables.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 195 of Pub. L. 101–610 was renumbered section 151 by Pub. L. 103–82 and is classified to section 12611 of this title.
Amendments
2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “section 414 of title 5,” for “section 8E of the Inspector General Act of 1978,”. 2009—Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 111–13, § 1706(1)(A), inserted “territory,” after “subdivision of a State,”. Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 111–13, § 1706(1)(B), substituted “Nonvoting member” for “Member” in heading and inserted “nonvoting” before “member” in text. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 111–13, § 1706(2), added subsec. (g). 1993—Subsecs. (c)(1), (e). Pub. L. 103–82, § 203(a)(1)(B), which directed amendment of section 195(c) and (e) of subtitle I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 by substituting “the national service laws” for “this chapter”, was executed to subsecs. (c)(1) and (e) of this section, which is section 195 of subtitle G of title I of the National Community Service Act of 1990, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2009 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–13 effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as a note under section 4950 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1993 AmendmentAmendment by section 203(a)(1)(B) of Pub. L. 103–82 effective Apr. 4, 1994, see section 203(d) of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 12651 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 202(i) of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 12651 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 12651f
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110