Merit Systems Protection Board in the United States

The Merit Systems Protection Board protects the integrity of the Federal personnel merit systems and the rights of Federal employees

The Merit Systems Protection Board is a successor agency to the United States
Civil Service Commission, established by act of January 16, 1883 (22 Stat.
403). Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978 (5 U.S.C. app.) redesignated part
of the Commission as the Merit Systems Protection Board. The Board is comprised
of three members appointed by the President with the advice and consent of
the Senate.

Activities

The Board has responsibility for hearing and adjudicating appeals by Federal
employees of adverse personnel actions, such as removals, suspensions,
and demotions. It also resolves cases involving reemployment rights, denial
of periodic step increases in pay, actions against administrative law judges, and
charges of prohibited personnel practices, including charges in connection with
whistleblowing.

The Board has the authority to enforce its decisions and to order corrective and disciplinary actions. An employee or applicant for employment involved in
an appealable action that also involves an allegation of discrimination may ask
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to review a Board decision.
Final decisions and orders of the Board can be appealed to the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

The Board reviews regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management
and has the authority to require agencies to cease compliance with any regulation
that could constitute a prohibited personnel practice. It also conducts
special studies of the civil service and other executive branch merit systems and
reports to the President and the Congress on whether the Federal work force is
being adequately protected against political abuses and prohibited personnel practices.

For a complete list of Merit Systems Protection Board offices, visit www.mspb.gov/contact/contact.htm.

For further information, contact the Merit Systems Protection Board, 1615 M Street NW., Washington, DC 20419. Phone, 202–653–7200 or 800–209–8960. TDD, 800–877–8339. Fax, 202–653–7130. Email, mspb@mspb.gov. Internet, http://www.mspb.gov.

Merit Systems Protection Board

In Legislation

Merit Systems Protection Board in the U.S. Code: Title 5, Part II, Chapter 12, Subchapter I

The current, permanent, in-force federal laws regulating merit systems protection board are compiled in the United States Code under Title 5, Part II, Chapter 12, Subchapter I. It constitutes “prima facie” evidence of statutes relating to Government Organization (including merit systems protection board) of the United States. The reader can further narrow his/her legal research of the general topic (in this case, Civil Service Functions and Responsibilities of the US Code, including merit systems protection board) by chapter and subchapter.