---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 7382"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "7382"
heading: "Research personnel"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/7382"
units:
  - "Part V — Boards, Administrations, and Services"
  - "Chapter 73 — Veterans Health Administration—organization and Functions"
  - "Subchapter V — Research and Development"
---

# §7382. Research personnel

- (a) **Waiver of Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program Limits.—** The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may waive the limit on the period and number of assignments required under [section 3372(a) of title 5](/usc/5/3372.md?p=a) with respect to an individual who performs research for the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) under the mobility program under subchapter VI of [chapter 33](/usc/38/chptIII/ch33.md) of such title (commonly referred to as the “Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program”).
- (b) **Outside Earned Income for Research for the Department.—**
  - (1) [Compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) from a nonprofit corporation established under subchapter IV of this chapter, or a university affiliated with the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), may be paid, without regard to [section 209 of title 18](/usc/18/209.md), to an employee described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), for research conducted pursuant to [section 7303 of this title](/usc/38/7303.md) if—
    - (A) the research has been approved in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Under [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) for Health;
    - (B) the employee conducts research under the supervision of personnel of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1); and
    - (C) the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) agreed to the terms of such [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) in writing.
  - (2) An employee described in this subsection is an employee who has an appointment within the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), whether with or without [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13), and without regard to the source of such [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–328, div. U, title I, § 182(a), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5436.)