Title 5, Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-102
§4508 Limitation of Awards During a Presidential Election Year
Title 5 › PART III — EMPLOYEES › Subpart C — Employee Performance › CHAPTER 45 — INCENTIVE AWARDS › SUBCHAPTER I — AWARDS FOR SUPERIOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS › § 4508
Summary
Senior political appointees cannot get awards during a Presidential election period. A Presidential election period runs from June 1 of the election year until January 20 after the election. A senior politically appointed officer is an SES non‑career appointee or a Schedule C confidential or policy‑making employee.
Full Legal Text
Title 5, §4508
Government Organization and Employees, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)For purposes of this section, the term—
(1)“Presidential election period” means any period beginning on June 1 in a calendar year in which the popular election of the President occurs, and ending on January 20 following the date of such election; and
(2)“senior politically appointed officer” means any officer who during a Presidential election period serves—
(A)in a Senior Executive Service position and is not a career appointee as defined under section 3132(a)(4); or
(B)in a position of a confidential or policy-determining character under schedule C of subpart C of part 213 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b)No senior politically appointed officer may receive an award under the provisions of this subchapter during a Presidential election period.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
5 U.S.C. § 4508
Title 5, Government Organization and Employees
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102