---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 7541"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "7541"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/7541"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart F — Labor-Management and Employee Relations"
  - "Chapter 75 — Adverse Actions"
  - "Subchapter V — Senior Executive Service"
---

# §7541. Definitions


For the purpose of this subchapter—

- (1) “employee” means a [career appointee](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-4) in the [Senior Executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3) [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) who—
  - (A) has completed the probationary period prescribed under [section 3393(d) of this title](/usc/5/3393.md?p=d); or
  - (B) was covered by the provisions of subchapter II of this chapter immediately before appointment to the [Senior Executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3) [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26); and
- (2) “suspension” has the meaning set forth in [section 7501(2) of this title](/usc/5/7501.md?p=2).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 95–454, title IV, § 411(2), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1174; amended Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title XI, § 1105(c)(5), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 1024; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XI, § 1106(b)(2)(E), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1950.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2021—Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 117–81 struck out “or section 1599e of title 10” after “section 3393(d) of this title”.

2015—Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 114–92 inserted “or section 1599e of title 10” after “this title”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 117–81 applied as if effective Dec. 31, 2022, to correspond to the effective date of the repeal of section 1599e of Title 10, Armed Forces, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. See Effective Date of Repeal note under section 1599e of Title 10.

### 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 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 3131 of this title.