When an employee appears on behalf of the United States, he/she is not entitled to a witness fee. 5 U.S.C. § 5537. If the witness appears in an official capacity for a party other than the United States, any witness fee received belongs to the United States and must be reimbursed to the Treasury through deduction from the employee’s pay. See 5 U.S.C. § 5515.

[updated April 2018]