---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 3079b"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "3079b"
heading: "Shore leave for professional mariners"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/3079b"
units:
  - "Chapter 43 — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps"
  - "Subchapter V — Rights and Benefits"
---

# §3079b. Shore leave for professional mariners

- (a) **In general—** The [Under Secretary](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-8) may prescribe regulations relating to [shore](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=4) leave for professional mariners without regard to the requirements of [section 6305 of title 5](/usc/5/6305.md).
- (b) **Requirements—** The regulations prescribed under [subsection (a)](#a) shall—
  - (1) require that a professional mariner serving aboard an ocean-going vessel be granted a leave of absence of 4 days per pay period; and
  - (2) provide that a professional mariner serving in a temporary promotion position aboard a vessel may be paid the difference between such mariner’s temporary and permanent rates of pay for leave accrued while serving in the temporary promotion position.
- (c) **Professional mariner defined—** In this section, the term “professional mariner” means an individual employed on a vessel of the [Administration](/usc/33/3002.md?p=b-7) who has the necessary expertise to serve in the engineering, deck, steward, electronic technician, or survey department.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–372, title II, § 269B, as added Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXVII, § 11706(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4157.)