---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 3395"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "3395"
heading: "Reassignment and transfer within the Senior Executive Service"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/3395"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart B — Employment and Retention"
  - "Chapter 33 — Examination, Selection, and Placement"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Appointment, Re­assignment, Transfer, and Development in the Senior Executive Service"
---

# §3395. Reassignment and transfer within the Senior Executive Service

- (a)
  - (1) A [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) in an [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1)—
    - (A) may, subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, be reassigned to any [Senior Executive Service position](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-2) in the same [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) for which the appointee is qualified; and
    - (B) may transfer to a [Senior Executive Service position](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-2) in another [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) for which the appointee is qualified, with the approval of the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) to which the appointee transfers.
  - (2)
    - (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, a [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) may be reassigned to any [Senior Executive Service position](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-2) only if the [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) receives written notice of the reassignment at least 15 days before the effective date of such reassignment.
    - (B)
      - (i) A [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) may not be reassigned to a [Senior Executive Service position](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-2) outside the [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4)’s commuting area unless—
        - (I) before providing notice under subclause (II) of this clause (or seeking or obtaining the consent of the [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) under clause (ii) of this subparagraph to waive such notice), the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) consults with the [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) on the reasons for, and the appointee’s preferences with respect to, the proposed reassignment; and
        - (II) the [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) receives written notice of the reassignment, including a statement of the reasons for the reassignment, at least 60 days before the effective date of the reassignment.
      - (ii) Notice of reassignment under clause (i)(II) of this subparagraph may be waived with the written consent of the [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) involved.
- (b)
  - (1) Notwithstanding [section 3394(b) of this title](/usc/5/3394.md?p=b), a [limited emergency appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-6) may be reassigned to another [Senior Executive Service position](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-2) in the same [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) established to meet a bona fide, unanticipated, urgent need, except that the appointee may not serve in one or more [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in such [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) under such appointment in excess of 18 months.
  - (2) Notwithstanding [section 3394(b) of this title](/usc/5/3394.md?p=b), a [limited term appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-5) may be reassigned to another [Senior Executive Service position](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-2) in the same [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) the duties of which will expire at the end of a term of 3 years or less, except that the appointee may not serve in one or more [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) under such appointment in excess of 3 years.
- (c) A [limited term appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-5) or a [limited emergency appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-6) may not be appointed to, or continue to hold, a [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) under such an appointment if, within the preceding 48 months, the individual has served more than 36 months, in the aggregate, under any combination of such types of appointment.
- (d) A [noncareer appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-7) in an [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1)—
  - (1) may be reassigned to any [general position](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-9) in the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) for which the appointee is qualified; and
  - (2) may transfer to a [general position](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-9) in another [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) with the approval of the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) to which the appointee transfers.
- (e)
  - (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) in an [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) may not be involuntarily reassigned—
    - (A) within 120 days after an appointment of the head of the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1); or
    - (B) within 120 days after the appointment in the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) of the [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4)’s most immediate [supervisor](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-10) who—
      - (i) is a [noncareer appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-7); and
      - (ii) has the [authority](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-6) to make an initial appraisal of the [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4)’s performance under subchapter II of chapter 43.
  - (2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not apply with respect to—
    - (A) any reassignment under [section 4314(b)(3) of this title](/usc/5/4314.md?p=b-3); or
    - (B) any disciplinary action initiated before an appointment referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
  - (3) For the purpose of applying [paragraph (1)](#e-1) to a [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4), any days (not to exceed a total of 60) during which such [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) is serving pursuant to a [detail](/usc/5/3701.md?p=2) or other temporary assignment apart from such appointee’s regular [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) shall not be counted in determining the number of days that have elapsed since an appointment referred to in subparagraph [(A)](#e-1-A) or [(B)](#e-1-B) of such paragraph.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 95–454, title IV, § 403(a), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1163; amended Pub. L. 98–615, title III, § 304(a), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3218; Pub. L. 102–175, § 3, Dec. 2, 1991, 105 Stat. 1222.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 3395, added Pub. L. 95–437, § 3(a), Oct. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 1057, which related to nonapplicability of part-time career employment opportunities program was renumbered as section 3405 of this title by Pub. L. 95–454, title IX, § 906(c)(1)(B), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1226.

### Amendments

1991—Subsec. (e)(1)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 102–175, § 3(1), amended cl. (ii) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (ii) read as follows: “has the authority to reassign the career appointee.”

Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 102–175, § 3(2), added par. (3).

1984—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 98–615 designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted exception relating to subpar. (B), and added subpar. (B).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–615 effective Nov. 8, 1984, see section 307 of Pub. L. 98–615, set out as a note under section 3393 of this title.

### Effective Date

Section effective 9 months after Oct. 13, 1978, and congressional review of provisions of sections 401 through 412 of Pub. L. 95–454, see section 415(a)(1), (b) of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3131 of this title.