---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 3315"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "3315"
heading: "Registers; preference eligibles furloughed or separated"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/3315"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart B — Employment and Retention"
  - "Chapter 33 — Examination, Selection, and Placement"
  - "Subchapter I — Examination, Certification, and Appointment"
---

# §3315. Registers; preference eligibles furloughed or separated

- (a) A preference [eligible](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-3) who has been separated or furloughed without delinquency or misconduct, on request, is entitled to have his name placed on appropriate registers and employment lists for every [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) for which his qualifications have been established, in the order named by [section 3313 of this title](/usc/5/3313.md). This subsection applies to registers and employment lists maintained by the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management, an [Executive agency](/usc/5/6501.md?p=2), or the [government](/usc/5/4101.md?p=3) of the District of Columbia.
- (b) The [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) may declare a preference [eligible](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-3) who has been separated or furloughed without [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) under [section 7512 of this title](/usc/5/7512.md) to be entitled to the benefits of [subsection (a)](#a) of this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 420; Pub. L. 96–54, § 2(a)(14), (15), Aug. 14, 1979, 93 Stat. 382.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes and<br>Statutes at Large |
| (a) | 5 U.S.C. 864 (1st sentence). | June 27, 1944, ch. 287 § 15 (1st sentence), 58 Stat. 391. |
| (b) | 5 U.S.C. 863 (2d proviso). | June 27, 1944, ch. 287, § 14 (2d proviso), 58 Stat. 391. |

In subsection (a), the term “Executive agency” is substituted for “any agency or project of the Federal Government” on authority of former section 869. The last 28 words of the 1st sentence of former section 864 relating to recertification and reappointment are omitted since under sections 3317 and 3318(a) certification and appointment follow from placing on registers.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1979—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–54, § 2(a)(14), substituted “Office of Personnel Management” for “Civil Service Commission”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–54, § 2(a)(15), substituted “Office” for “Commission”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1979 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–54 effective July 12, 1979, see section 2(b) of Pub. L. 96–54, set out as a note under section 305 of this title.