US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

22 U.S.C. § 3652

Panama Canal Employment System; merit and other employment requirements

(a)

Establishment; merit and other employment requirements

The Commission shall establish a Panama Canal Employment System and prescribe the regulations necessary for its administration. The Panama Canal Employment System shall—
(1)
be established in accordance with and be subject to the provisions of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 and related agreements, the provisions of this part, and any other applicable provision of law;
(2)
be based on the consideration of the merit of each employee or candidate for employment and the qualifications and fitness of the employee to hold the position concerned;
(3)
conform, to the extent practicable and consistent with the provisions of this chapter, to the policies, principles, and standards applicable to the competitive service;
(4)
in the case of employees who are citizens of the United States, provide for the appropriate interchange of those employees between positions under the Panama Canal Employment System and positions in the competitive service; and
(5)
not be subject to the provisions of title 5, unless specifically made applicable by this chapter.
(b)

Applicability to any Executive agency and Smithsonian Institution

(1)
The head of any Executive agency (other than the Commission) and the Smithsonian Institution may elect to have the Panama Canal Employment System made applicable in whole or in part to personnel of that agency in the Republic of Panama.
(2)
Any Executive agency (other than the Commission) and the Smithsonian Institution, to the extent of any election under paragraph (1), shall conduct its employment and pay practices relating to employees in accordance with the Panama Canal Employment System.
(3)
Public Law 104–201110 Stat. 2860Public Law 105–851
1 So in original. Probably should be “111”.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Panama Canal Act Amendments of 1996 (subtitle B of title XXXV of ; ), or the Panama Canal Transition Facilitation Act of 1997 (subtitle B of title XXXV of ; 110  Stat. 2062), or the Panama Canal Commission Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999, this subpart, as in effect on , shall continue to apply to an Executive agency or the Smithsonian Institution to the extent of an election under paragraph (1) by the head of the agency or the Institution, respectively.
(c)

Exclusion of employees or positions from coverage

The Commission may exclude any employee or position from coverage under any provision of this subpart, other than the interchange rights extended under subsection (a)(4).

Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 121293 Stat. 464Pub. L. 104–201, div. C, title XXXV, § 3530(a)110 Stat. 2862Pub. L. 105–85, div. C, title XXXV111 Stat. 2065Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title XXXV112 Stat. 2269(, , ; , , ; , §§ 3523(d), 3550(d)(5), , , 2074; , §§ 3507(c), 3512(a)(2), , , 2271.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 96–7093 Stat. 452section 3601 of this titleThis chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(3), (5) and (b)(3), was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , known as the Panama Canal Act of 1979, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 104–201110 Stat. 2860section 3601 of this titleThe Panama Canal Act Amendments of 1996, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is subtitle B of title XXXV of div. C of , , . For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1996 Amendment note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 105–85111 Stat. 2062section 3601 of this titleThe Panama Canal Transition Facilitation Act of 1997, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is subtitle B of title XXXV of div. C of , , . For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1997 Amendment note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 105–261112 Stat. 2267section 3657 of this titleThe Panama Canal Commission Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is title XXXV of div. C of , , , which amended this section and sections 3612, 3612b, 3620, 3642, 3657, 3664, 3671, 3723, 3731, 3751, 3771, 3772, 3776, 3779, and 3862 of this title, repealed sections 3646, 3647, and 3663 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under . For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

Pub. L. 105–261, § 3512(a)(2)1998—Subsec. (b)(3). , inserted “the” after “by the head of”.

Pub. L. 105–261, § 3507(c)Public Law 105–85110 Stat. 2062, substituted “the Panama Canal Transition Facilitation Act of 1997 (subtitle B of title XXXV of ; ), or the Panama Canal Commission Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999” for “the Panama Canal Transition Facilitation Act of 1997”.

Pub. L. 105–85, § 3550(d)(5)1997—Subsec. (b)(3). , substituted “as in effect on ” for “as last in effect before ”.

Pub. L. 105–85, § 3523(d)Public Law 104–201110 Stat. 2860, substituted “, the Panama Canal Act Amendments of 1996 (subtitle B of title XXXV of ; ), or the Panama Canal Transition Facilitation Act of 1997” for “or the Panama Canal Act Amendments of 1996”.

Pub. L. 104–2011996— amended section generally, substituting subsecs. (a) to (c) requiring the Commission to establish a Panama Canal Employment System for former subsecs. (a) to (d) requiring the President to establish such a System.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Savings Provision

Pub. L. 104–201, div. C, title XXXV, § 3530(b)110 Stat. 2863

“The Panama Canal Employment System and all elections, rules, regulations, and orders relating thereto, as last in effect before the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] takes effect, shall continue in effect, according to their terms, until modified, terminated, or superseded under section 1212 of the Panama Canal Act of 1979 [this section], as amended by subsection (a).”
, , , provided that:

Executive Documents

Coordination of Pay and Employment Practices

section 3601 of this titleFor provisions requiring consultations with the Secretary of Defense for agencies under this subpart with respect to the establishment of rates of pay and other matters deemed appropriate by the Secretary in order to develop compatible or unified systems of basic pay and employment practices, see section 1–201 of Ex. Ord. No. 12215, , 45 F.R. 36043, set out as a note under .