13 USC § 23
Additional officers and employees
July 4, 2020
USC

(a) The Secretary may establish, at rates of compensation to be fixed by him without regard to the Classification Act of 1949, as many temporary positions as may be necessary to meet the requirements of the work provided for by law. Bureau employees who are transferred to any such temporary positions shall not lose their permanent civil service status by reason of the transfer. The Secretary may make appointments to such temporary positions in conformity with the civil service laws and rules.

(b) In addition to employees of the Department of Commerce, employees of other departments and independent offices of the Government may, with the consent of the head of the respective department or office, be employed and compensated for field work in connection with the work provided for by law without regard to section 301 of the Dual Compensation Act.

(c) The Secretary may utilize temporary staff, including employees of Federal, State, or local agencies or instrumentalities, and employees of private organizations to assist the Bureau in performing the work authorized by this title, but only if such temporary staff is sworn to observe the limitations imposed by section 9 of this title.

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., §§203, 216, and section 1442 of title 42, U.S.C., 1952 ed., The Public Health and Welfare (June 18, 1929, ch. 28, §§3, 16, 46 Stat. 21, 25; July 6, 1949, ch. 298, §§1, 2, 63 Stat. 406; July 15, 1949, ch. 338, title VI, §607, 63 Stat. 441; Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, title XI, §1106(a), 63 Stat. 972; July 16, 1952, ch. 912, 66 Stat. 736).

Section consolidates parts of sections 203 and 216 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., with that part of subsection (b) of section 1442 of title 42, U.S.C., 1952 ed., which made such sections 203 and 216 applicable to the censuses of housing.

Section 122 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., which related to quinquennial censuses of manufacturers, the mineral industries, transportation, and other businesses (see subchapter I of chapter 5 of this revised title), and section 252 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., which related to quinquennial censuses of governments (see subchapter III of chapter 5 of this title), made section 203 of such title applicable to those censuses. However, since the particular provisions of such section 203 that have been carried into this revised section apparently related, as supplemented by section 1442(b) of title 42, U.S.C., 1952 ed., to the decennial censuses provided for in sections 201 et seq. of such title, and in such section 1442 of title 42 (see subchapter II of chapter 5 of this revised title), and apparently could have no relevancy to the quinquennial censuses referred to above, this revised section relates only to such decennial censuses.

In subsection (a), "Departmental Service" was substituted for "District of Columbia", since the Bureau of the Census now has its headquarters in Maryland, and not in the District of Columbia.

In this section, a reference to the Bureau of the Census was changed to a reference to the Department of Commerce, and references to the Director of the Census were changed in all but one case to references to the Secretary (of Commerce) to conform with 1950 Reorganization Plan No. 5, §§1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1263. See Revision Note to section 4 of this title. The provision of section 203 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., that appointments under the particular provisions thereof that have been carried into subsection (a) of this revised section should be made upon the recommendation of the Director of the Census, have been omitted from such subsection (a) for the same reason. Further, words "or to whatever other officer is designated by the Secretary to take the census provided for in sections 141 and 142 of this title" were inserted after "Director of the Census" in par. (1) of subsection (a), to conform with such 1950 Reorganization Plan.

The first paragraph of section 203 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., which provided for the employment of two assistant directors for each decennial census period, was omitted as obsolete and superseded, in view of section 122 of such title, which made such section 203 applicable to the quinquennial censuses of manufactures and other businesses, and to surveys (see subchapter IV of chapter 5 of this title), thus rendering such first paragraph ineffective and meaningless. See also section 121(b) of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed.

The third proviso in the second paragraph of section 203 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., giving preference in appointments to disabled war veterans, their widows, and, under certain circumstances, to their wives, was omitted as superseded and covered by the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944 (chapter 17 of title 5, U.S.C., 1952 ed., Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees).

Changes were made in phraseology and arrangement.

Remainder of section 203 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., is incorporated in this subchapter, and for remainder of section 216 thereof, and of section 1442 of title 42, U.S.C., 1952 ed. (which has been transferred in its entirety to this revised title), see Distribution Table.

References in Text

The Classification Act of 1949, referred to in subsec. (a), is act Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782, 63 Stat. 954, as amended, which was repealed by Pub. L. 89–554, §8(a), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 632, and reenacted by the first section thereof as chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Section 301 of the Dual Compensation Act, referred to in subsec. (b), which was classified to section 3105 of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees, was repealed by Pub. L. 89–554, §8(a), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 632, and reenacted by the first section thereof as section 5533 of Title 5.

Amendments

1976—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–521 added subsec. (c).

1964—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 88–448 inserted "without regard to section 301 of the Dual Compensation Act".

1960—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 86–769 substituted "The Secretary may establish, at rates of compensation to be fixed by him without regard to the Classification Act of 1949, as many temporary positions as may be necessary to meet the requirements of the work provided for by law. Bureau employees who are transferred to any such temporary positions shall not lose their permanent civil service status by reason of the transfer. The Secretary may make appointments to such temporary positions in conformity with the civil service laws and rules" for "The Secretary may appoint, without regard to the Classification Act of 1949, at rates of compensation to be fixed by him, as many temporary employees in the Departmental Service as may be necessary to meet the requirements of the work provided for in this title. Census employees who are transferred to any such temporary positions shall not lose their permanent Civil Service status by reason of the transfer. The Secretary shall make all such temporary appointments in conformity with the Civil Service laws and rules".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 86–769 substituted "by law" for "in this title".

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–521 effective Oct. 17, 1976, see section 17 of Pub. L. 94–521, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.

Effective Date of 1964 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 88–448 effective on first day of first month which begins later than ninetieth day following Aug. 19, 1964, see section 403 of Pub. L. 88–448, title IV, Aug. 19, 1964, 78 Stat. 496.

Temporary Positions Relating to Decennial Censuses

Pub. L. 108–447, div. B, title II, §205, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2883, provided that: "Hereafter, none of the funds made available by this or any other Act for the Department of Commerce shall be available to reimburse the Unemployment Trust Fund or any other fund or account of the Treasury to pay for any expenses authorized by section 8501 of title 5, United States Code, for services performed by individuals appointed to temporary positions within the Bureau of the Census for purposes relating to the decennial censuses of population."

Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation acts:

Pub. L. 106–553, §1(a)(2) [title II, §204], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2762, 2762A–78.

Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(1) [title II, §204], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–31.

Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, §101(b) [title II, §204], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–50, 2681–86.

Pub. L. 105–119, title II, §204, Nov. 26, 1997, 111 Stat. 2479.

Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(a) [title II, §204], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009, 3009–39.

Pub. L. 104–134, title I, §101[(a)] [title II, §204], Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321, 1321–30; renumbered title I, Pub. L. 104–140, §1(a), May 2, 1996, 110 Stat. 1327.

Pub. L. 103–317, title II, §204, Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1749.

Pub. L. 103–121, title II, §204, Oct. 27, 1993, 107 Stat. 1177.

Pub. L. 102–395, title II, §204, Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1855.

Pub. L. 102–140, title II, §204, Oct. 28, 1991, 105 Stat. 806.

Pub. L. 101–515, title I, §104, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 2108.

Pub. L. 101–382, title I, §141, Aug. 20, 1990, 104 Stat. 654, provided that:

"(a) General Rule.—The determination of whether temporary 1990 census services constitute 'Federal service' for purposes of subchapter I of chapter 85 of title 5, United States Code, shall be made under the provisions of such subchapter without regard to any provision of law not contained in such subchapter.

"(b) Temporary 1990 Census Services.—For purposes of subsection (a), the term 'temporary 1990 census services' means services performed by individuals appointed to temporary positions within the Bureau of the Census for purposes relating to the 1990 decennial census of population (as determined under regulations determined by the Secretary of Commerce)."

Pub. L. 101–302, title II, May 25, 1990, 104 Stat. 215, provided that: "Services performed after April 20, 1990, by individuals appointed to temporary positions within the Bureau of the Census for purposes relating to the 1990 decennial census of population shall not constitute 'Federal service' for purposes of section 8501 of title 5, United States Code."

Pub. L. 101–86, Aug. 16, 1989, 103 Stat. 593, as amended by Pub. L. 101–293, §1, May 17, 1990, 104 Stat. 192, provided that Federal annuitants or former members of the uniformed services who return to Government service under temporary appointments to assist in carrying out the 1990 decennial census of population would be exempt from certain provisions of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, relating to offsets from pay and other benefits.

[Pub. L. 101–293, §2, May 17, 1990, 104 Stat. 192, provided that amendment of Pub. L. 101–86 by Pub. L. 101–293 may not be considered to make an exemption under Pub. L. 101–86 applicable to any service performed before May 17, 1990, which was in excess of that allowable under Pub. L. 101–86 (as then in effect).]

Policy and Practices of Bureau of Census Regarding Use of Temporary Staff; Publication

Pub. L. 97–454, §3, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2494, provided that: "Not later than 180 days after the effective date of this Act [Jan. 12, 1983], the Secretary of Commerce shall publish in the Federal Register a statement of the policy and practices of the Bureau of the Census relating to the administration of section 23(c) of title 13, United States Code. Such statement shall include a description of—

"(1) the policy of the Secretary for the use of all individuals as temporary staff pursuant to such section 23(c) to assist the Bureau of the Census in performing work authorized under such title 13;

"(2) the functions for which the Secretary, in his discretion, may appoint temporary staff to assist the Bureau in performing work authorized under such title 13;

"(3) the practice applicable to the appointment of such temporary staff in performing such work;

"(4) the requirements and penalties under such title applicable to temporary staff performing such work, together with safeguards to ensure that such temporary staff will observe the limitations imposed in section 9 of such title."


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