Title 5, Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-102

§1203 Chairman; Vice Chairman

Title 5 › PART II — CIVIL SERVICE FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES › CHAPTER 12 — MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD, OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL, AND EMPLOYEE RIGHT OF ACTION › SUBCHAPTER I — MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD › § 1203

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President must pick one board member, with the Senate's approval, to be the Board's Chairman. The Chairman is the Board's main leader and handles its administration. The President must also name one member as Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman takes over if the Chairman is away, sick, or the chair is empty. If both the Chairman and Vice Chairman are gone or their posts are empty, the last remaining Board member performs the Chairman's duties.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §1203

Government Organization and Employees, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The President shall from time to time appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, one of the members of the Merit Systems Protection Board as the Chairman of the Board. The Chairman is the chief executive and administrative officer of the Board.

(b)The President shall from time to time designate one of the members of the Board as Vice Chairman of the Board. During the absence or disability of the Chairman, or when the office of Chairman is vacant, the Vice Chairman shall perform the functions vested in the Chairman.

(c)During the absence or disability of both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, or when the offices of Chairman and Vice Chairman are vacant, the remaining Board member shall perform the functions vested in the Chairman.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1989—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–12, § 3(a)(4), struck out the comma after “time” in first sentence. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–12, § 3(a)(5), substituted “the Chairman and the Vice Chairman” for “the Chairman and Vice Chairman” after “both”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1989 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–12 effective 90 days following Apr. 10, 1989, see section 11 of Pub. L. 101–12, set out as a note under section 1201 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 1203

Title 5, Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102