Title 5, Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-102

§3352 Preference in Transfers for Employees Making Certain Disclosures

Title 5 › PART III — EMPLOYEES › Subpart B — Employment and Retention › CHAPTER 33 — EXAMINATION, SELECTION, AND PLACEMENT › SUBCHAPTER IV — TRANSFERS › § 3352

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Agency heads may give certain employees priority to transfer into a job of the same rank and job security if three things are true: the employee is qualified, the employee can be appointed to the job, and the Merit Systems Protection Board finds a prohibited personnel action under section 2302(b)(8) was taken against them. The employee can apply to move within their agency or to another Executive agency. If a selecting official rejects the request, they must give written reasons within 30 days. The employee can ask the agency head to review that rejection within 30 days of getting the reasons. The agency head must finish the review and send written findings to the employee and the Board within 30 days. The transfer preference can be used only once, only for a transfer from or inside the agency the employee worked for when the Board made its decision, and only within 18 months of that decision. The preference cannot be used against a competing applicant who is a "preference eligible" under section 2108(3).

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §3352

Government Organization and Employees, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Subject to the provisions of subsections (d) and (e), in filling a position within any Executive agency, the head of such agency may give preference to any employee of such agency, or any other Executive agency, to transfer to a position of the same status and tenure as the position of such employee on the date of applying for a transfer under subsection (b) if—
(1)such employee is otherwise qualified for such position;
(2)such employee is eligible for appointment to such position; and
(3)the Merit Systems Protection Board makes a determination under the provisions of chapter 12 that a prohibited personnel action described under section 2302(b)(8) was taken against such employee.
(b)An employee who meets the conditions described under subsection (a)(1), (2), and (3) may voluntarily apply for a transfer to a position, as described in subsection (a), within the Executive agency employing such employee or any other Executive agency.
(c)If an employee applies for a transfer under the provisions of subsection (b) and the selecting official rejects such application, the selecting official shall provide the employee with a written notification of the reasons for the rejection within 30 days after receiving such application.
(d)An employee whose application for transfer is rejected under the provisions of subsection (c) may request the head of such agency to review the rejection. Such request for review shall be submitted to the head of the agency within 30 days after the employee receives notification under subsection (c). Within 30 days after receiving a request for review, the head of the agency shall complete the review and provide a written statement of findings to the employee and the Merit Systems Protection Board.
(e)The provisions of subsection (a) shall apply with regard to any employee—
(1)for no more than 1 transfer;
(2)for a transfer from or within the agency such employee is employed at the time of a determination by the Merit Systems Protection Board that a prohibited personnel action as described under section 2302(b)(8) was taken against such employee; and
(3)no later than 18 months after such a determination is made by the Merit Systems Protection Board.
(f)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), no preference may be given to any employee applying for a transfer under subsection (b), with respect to a preference eligible (as defined under section 2108(3)) applying for the same position.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective 90 days following Apr. 10, 1989, see section 11 of Pub. L. 101–12, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1989 Amendment note under section 1201 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 3352

Title 5, Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102