---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 894c"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "894c"
heading: "Change of station"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/894c"
units:
  - "Chapter 17 — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration"
  - "Subchapter VI — Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention"
---

# §894c. Change of station

- (a) **Change of station, unit transfer, or change of work location of victims—**
  - (1) **Timely consideration and action upon request—** The [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) of Commerce, acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall—
    - (A) in the case of a member of the commissioned officer corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who was a victim of a sexual assault, in order to reduce the possibility of retaliation or further sexual assault, provide for timely determination and action on an application submitted by the victim for consideration of a change of station or unit transfer of the victim; and
    - (B) in the case of an employee of the Administration who was a victim of a sexual assault, to the degree practicable and in order to reduce the possibility of retaliation against the employee for reporting the sexual assault, accommodate a request for a change of work location of the victim.
  - (2) **Procedures—**
    - (A) **Period for approval and disapproval—** The [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), shall ensure that an application or request submitted under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) for a change of station, unit transfer, or change of work location is approved or denied within 72 hours of the submission of the application or request.
    - (B) **Review—** If an application or request submitted under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) by a victim of a sexual assault for a change of station, unit transfer, or change of work location of the victim is denied—
      - (i) the victim may request the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) to review the denial; and
      - (ii) the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), shall, not later than 72 hours after receiving such request, affirm or overturn the denial.
- (b) **Change of station, unit transfer, and change of work location of alleged perpetrators—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2), shall develop a policy for the protection of victims of sexual assault described in [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) by providing the alleged perpetrator of the sexual assault with a change of station, unit transfer, or change of work location, as the case may be, if the alleged perpetrator is a member of the commissioned officer corps of the Administration or an employee of the Administration.
  - (2) **Policy requirements—** The policy required by [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall include the following:
    - (A) A means to control access to the victim.
    - (B) Due process for the victim and the alleged perpetrator.
- (c) **Regulations—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) shall promulgate regulations to carry out this section.
  - (2) **Consistency—** When practicable, the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) shall make regulations promulgated under this section consistent with similar regulations promulgated by the [Secretary](/usc/33/426h–1.md?p=2) of Defense.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, § 3544, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2803.)