---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 4313"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "4313"
heading: "Criteria for performance appraisals"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/4313"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart C — Employee Performance"
  - "Chapter 43 — Performance Appraisal"
  - "Subchapter II — Performance Appraisal in the Senior Executive Service"
---

# §4313. Criteria for performance appraisals


Appraisals of performance in the [Senior Executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3) [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) shall be based on both individual and organizational performance, taking into [account](/usc/5/8401.md?p=1) such factors as—

- (1) improvements in efficiency, productivity, and quality of work or [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26), including any significant reduction in paperwork;
- (2) cost efficiency;
- (3) timeliness of performance;
- (4) other indications of the effectiveness, productivity, and performance quality of the [employees](/usc/5/4301.md?p=2) for whom the [senior executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3) is responsible;
- (5) meeting affirmative action goals, achievement of equal employment opportunity requirements, and compliance with the merit [systems](/usc/5/8401.md?p=29) principles set forth under [section 2301 of this title](/usc/5/2301.md); and
- (6) protecting whistleblowers, as described in [section 4302(b)(2)](/usc/5/4302.md?p=b-2).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 95–454, title IV, § 405(a), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1168; amended Pub. L. 103–424, § 6, Oct. 29, 1994, 108 Stat. 4364; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1097(d)(2), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1620.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2017—Par. (6). Pub. L. 115–91 added par. (6).

1994—Par. (5). Pub. L. 103–424 amended par. (5) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (5) read as follows: “meeting affirmative action goals and achievement of equal employment opportunity requirements.”

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### 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 a note under section 3131 of this title.