1. (a) Prescription of personnel standards on a merit basis There are hereby transferred to the Office all functions, powers, and duties of—

   1. (1) the Secretary of Agriculture under section 10(e)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 of 1964 (7 U.S.C. 2019(e)(2)); ¹

   2. (2) the Secretary of Labor under—

      1. (A) the Act of June 6, 1933, as amended (29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.); and
      2. (B) section 503(a)(1) of this title;

   3. (3) the Secretary of Health and Human Services under—

      1. (A) sections 2674(a)(6) and 2684(a)(6) of this title;
      2. (B) section 3023(a)(6) of this title;
      3. (C) sections 246(a)(2)(F) and (d)(2)(F) and 291d(a)(8) of this title; and
      4. (D) sections 302(a)(5)(A), 602(a)(5)(A), 705(a)(3)(A), 1202(a)(5)(A), 1352(a)(5)(A), 1382(a)(5)(A), and 1396a(a)(4)(A) of this title; and
   4. (4) any other department, agency, office, or officer (other than the President) under any other provision of law or regulation applicable to a program of grant-in-aid that specifically requires the establishment and maintenance of personnel standards on a merit basis with respect to the program;

   insofar as the functions, powers, and duties relate to the prescription of personnel standards on a merit basis.

2. (b) Standards for systems of personnel administration In accordance with regulations of the Office of Personnel Management, Federal agencies may require as a condition of participation in assistance programs, systems of personnel administration consistent with personnel standards prescribed by the Office for positions engaged in carrying out such programs. The standards shall—

   1. (1) include the merit principles in section 4701 of this title;
   2. (2) be prescribed in such a manner as to minimize Federal intervention in State and local personnel administration.

3. (c) Powers and duties of Office The Office shall—

   1. (1) provide consultation and technical advice and assistance to State and local governments to aid them in complying with standards prescribed by the Office under subsection (a) of this section; and
   2. (2) advise Federal agencies administering programs of grants or financial assistance as to the application of required personnel administration standards, and recommend and coordinate the taking of such actions by the Federal agencies as the Office considers will most effectively carry out the purpose of this subchapter.
4. (d) Transfer of personnel, property, records, and funds; time of transfer So much of the personnel, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other funds of any Federal agency employed, used, held, available, or to be made available in connection with the functions, powers, and duties vested in the Office by this section as the Director of the Management and Budget shall determine shall be transferred to the Office at such time or times as the Director shall direct.
5. (e) Modification or supersedure of personnel standards Personnel standards prescribed by Federal agencies under laws and regulations referred to in subsection (a) of this section shall continue in effect until modified or superseded by standards prescribed by the Office under subsection (a) of this section.
6. (f) Systems of personnel administration; innovation and diversity in design, execution, and management Any standards or regulations established pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be such as to encourage innovation and allow for diversity on the part of State and local governments in the design, execution, and management of their own individual systems of personnel administration.

7. (g) Interpretation of certain provisions; limitation Nothing in this section or in section 4722 or 4723 of this title shall be construed to—

   1. (1) authorize any agency or official of the Federal Government to exercise any authority, direction, or control over the selection, assignment, advancement, retention, compensation, or other personnel action with respect to any individual State or local employee;
   2. (2) authorize the application of personnel standards on a merit basis to the teaching personnel of educational institutions or school systems;
   3. (3) prevent participation by employees or employee organizations in the formulation of policies and procedures affecting the conditions of their employment, subject to the laws and ordinances of the State or local government concerned;
   4. (4) require or request any State or local government employee to disclose his race, religion, or national origin, or the race, religion, or national origin, of any of his forebears;
   5. (5) require or request any State or local government employee, or any person applying for employment as a State or local government employee, to submit to any interrogation or examination or to take any psychological test or any polygraph test which is designed to elicit from him information concerning his personal relationship with any person connected with him by blood or marriage, or concerning his religious beliefs or practices, or concerning his attitude or conduct with respect to sexual matters; or
   6. (6) require or request any State or local government employee to participate in any way in any activities or undertakings unless such activities or undertakings are related to the performance of official duties to which he is or may be assigned or to the development of skills, knowledge, or abilities which qualify him for the performance of such duties.

8. (h) Grants-in-aid; abolition of certain requirements Effective one year after October 13, 1978, all statutory personnel requirements established as a condition of the receipt of Federal grants-in-aid by State and local governments are hereby abolished, except—

   1. (1) requirements prescribed under laws and regulations referred to in subsection (a) of this section;
   2. (2) requirements that generally prohibit discrimination in employment or require equal employment opportunity;
   3. (3) sections 3141–3144, 3146, and 3147 of title 40; and
   4. (4) chapter 15 of title 5, relating to political activities of certain State and local employees.

(Pub. L. 91–648, title II, § 208, Jan. 5, 1971, 84 Stat. 1915; Pub. L. 95–454, § 602(a)(2), (3), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1188, 1189; 1978 Reorg. Plan No. 2, § 102, eff. Jan. 1, 1979, 43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783; Pub. L. 96–88, title V, § 509(b), Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 695; Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(C), (2)(CC), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1096, 1097; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(C), (2)(CC), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1857, 1859.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 10(e)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 of 1964 (7 U.S.C. 2019(e)(2)), referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was a reference to section 10(e)(2) of the Food Stamp Act of 1964 prior to the amendment by Pub. L. 110–246 which substituted “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008” for “Food Stamp Act”. See 2008 Amendment note below. Section 10 of the Food Stamp Act of 1964, which was classified to section 2019 of Title 7, Agriculture, was amended generally by Pub. L. 95–113, § 1301, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 969, and the provisions formerly contained in section 2019(e)(2) were covered by section 2020(e)(6) of Title 7.

Act of June 6, 1933, as amended, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(A), is act June 6, 1933, ch. 49, 48 Stat. 113, known as the “Wagner-Peyser Act”, which is classified generally to chapter 4B (§ 49 et seq.) of Title 29, Labor. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 49 of Title 29 and Tables.

Sections 2674(a)(6) and 2684(a)(6) of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(A), was in the original a reference to sections 134(a)(6) and 204(a)(6) of the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963. Section 134 of the Act was renumbered “133” and amended by Pub. L. 94–103, and is classified to section 6063 of this title. Provisions relating to personnel standards on a merit basis appeared in section 6063(b)(7) of this title, and were subsequently deleted in a general amendment of subsec. (b). Title II of the Act was amended generally by Pub. L. 94–63, and provisions relating to personnel standards on a merit basis appeared in section 237(a)(1)(D) of the Act, which was classified to section 2689t(a)(1)(D) of this title. Section 2689t was repealed by Pub. L. 97–35, title IX, § 902(e)(2)(B), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 560.

Section 3023(a)(6) of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(B), was in the original a reference to section 303(a)(6) of the Older Americans Act of 1965. Section 301 of Pub. L. 93–29 amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 by striking out title III and inserting in lieu thereof a new title III. Provisions relating to personnel standards on a merit basis appeared in section 305(a)(2) of the Act, which was classified to section 3025(a)(2) of this title prior to the general revision and reorganization of title III by Pub. L. 95–478, § 103(b). Provisions similar to those comprising section 3025 of this title are contained in section 3027 of this title.

Section 246(d) of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(C), was repealed by Pub. L. 97–35, title IX, § 902(b), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 559.

Section 602 of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(D), was repealed and a new section 602 enacted by Pub. L. 104–193, title I, § 103(a)(1), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2112, and, as so enacted, no longer contains a subsec. (a)(5)(A).

Section 705 of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(D), was amended by Pub. L. 97–35, title XXI, § 2192(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 822, and, as so amended, did not contain a subsec. (a). Section 705 was subsequently amended by Pub. L. 101–239, title VI, § 6503(b)(2), (4), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2276, which inserted a subsec. “(a)” designation at the beginning of the section and added a par. (3) to subsec. (a).

Section 1382(a)(5)(A) of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(D), was in the original a reference to section 1602(a)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act. Title XVI of the Social Security Act (section 1381 et seq. of this title) was amended generally by Pub. L. 92–603, title III, § 301, Oct. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 1465, and the provisions formerly contained in section 1382 of this title appeared in section 602 of the Act, which was classified to section 802 of this title, and was repealed by Pub. L. 93–647, § 3(b), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2349.

Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

In subsec. (h)(3), “sections 3141–3144, 3146, and 3147 of title 40” substituted for “the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276 et seq.)”, meaning 40 U.S.C. 276a et seq., on authority of Pub. L. 107–217, § 5(c), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1303, the first section of which enacted Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works.

Amendments

2008—Pub. L. 110–246, § 4002(b)(1)(C), (2)(CC), substituted “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008” for “Food Stamp Act”.

1978—Subsecs. (b) to (h). Pub. L. 95–454 added subsec. (b), redesignated former subsecs. (b) to (g) as (c) to (h), respectively, and in subsec. (h), as so redesignated, substituted provisions respecting abolition of certain requirements respecting grants-in-aid, for provisions setting forth effective date of this section as 60 days after Jan. 5, 1971.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” in subsec. (a)(3) pursuant to section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88, which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.

Amendment by section 4002(b)(1)(C), (2)(CC) of Pub. L. 110–246 effective Oct. 1, 2008, see section 4407 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 1161 of Title 2, The Congress.

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–454 effective 90 days after Oct. 13, 1978, see section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 1101 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

“Office”, meaning Office of Personnel Management, substituted for “Commission”, meaning Civil Service Commission, in subsecs. (a) and (c) to (e) pursuant to Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1978, § 102, 43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783, set out under section 1101 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, which transferred functions vested by statute in Civil Service Commission and Chairman thereof to Director of Office of Personnel Management (except as otherwise specified), effective Jan. 1, 1979, as provided by section 1–102 of Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, set out under section 1101 of Title 5.

¹ See References in Text note below.