---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 7362"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "7362"
heading: "Alcohol abuse and alcoholism"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/7362"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart F — Labor-Management and Employee Relations"
  - "Chapter 73 — Suitability, Security, and Conduct"
  - "Subchapter VI — Drug Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, and Alcoholism"
---

# §7362. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism

- (a) The [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management shall be responsible for developing, in cooperation with the [Secretary](/usc/5/9901.md?p=2) of Health and Human [Services](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) and with other [agencies](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1), and in accordance with applicable provisions of this subpart, appropriate prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation programs and [services](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) for alcohol abuse and alcoholism among [employees](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2). Such [agencies](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) are encouraged to extend, to the extent feasible, such programs and [services](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) to the families of alcoholic [employees](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) and to [employees](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) who have family [members](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) who are alcoholics. Such programs and [services](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) shall make optimal use of existing governmental facilities, [services](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26), and skills.
- (b) Section 523[^1] of the Public Health Service Act ([42 U.S.C. 290dd–3](/usc/42/290dd–3.md)), relating to confidentiality of records, and any regulations prescribed thereunder, shall apply with respect to records maintained for the purpose of carrying out this section.
- (c) Each [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) shall, with respect to any programs or [services](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) provided by such [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1), submit such written reports as the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) may require in connection with any report required under [section 7363 of this title](/usc/5/7363.md).
- (d) For the purpose of this section, the term “[agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1)” means an [Executive agency](/usc/5/6501.md?p=2).

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 99–570, title VI, § 6002(a)(1), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–157.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 523 of the Public Health Service Act, referred to in subsec. (b) and formerly classified to section 290dd–3 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, was renumbered section 544 of that Act by Pub. L. 100–77, title VI, § 611(2), July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 516 and then omitted in the general revision of Part D of Subchapter III–A of Chapter 6A of Title 42 by Pub. L. 102–321, title I, § 131, July 10, 1992, 106 Stat. 366. Provisions relating to the confidentiality of patient records are now classified to section 290dd–2 of Title 42.