US Code

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

33 U.S.C. § 939

Administration by Secretary

(a)

Prescribing rules and regulations; appointing and fixing compensation of employees; making expenditures

section 940 of this title1

1 See References in Text note below.
Except as otherwise specifically provided, the Secretary shall administer the provisions of this chapter, and for such purpose the Secretary is authorized (1) to make such rules and regulations; (2) to appoint and fix the compensation of such temporary technical assistants and medical advisers, and, subject to the provisions of the civil service laws, to appoint, and, in accordance with chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, to fix the compensation of such deputy commissioners (except deputy commissioners appointed under subsection (a) of ) and other officers and employees; and (3) to make such expenditures (including expenditures for personal services and rent at the seat of government and elsewhere, for law books, books of reference, periodicals, and for printing and binding) as may be necessary in the administration of this chapter. All expenditures of the Secretary in the administration of this chapter shall be allowed and paid as provided in section 945  of this title upon the presentation of itemized vouchers therefor approved by the Secretary.

(b)

Establishing compensation districts

The Secretary shall establish compensation districts, to include the high seas and the areas within the United States to which this chapter applies, and shall assign to each such district one or more deputy commissioners, as the Secretary deems advisable. Judicial proceedings under sections 918 and 921 of this title in respect of any injury or death occurring on the high seas shall be instituted in the district court within whose territorial jurisdiction is located the office of the deputy commissioner having jurisdiction in respect of such injury or death (or in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia if such office is located in such District).

(c)

Furnishing information and assistance; directing vocational rehabilitation

(1)
The Secretary shall, upon request, provide persons covered by this chapter with information and assistance relating to the chapter’s coverage and compensation and the procedures for obtaining such compensation and including assistance in processing a claim. The Secretary may, upon request, provide persons covered by this chapter with legal assistance in processing a claim. The Secretary shall also provide employees receiving compensation information on medical, manpower, and vocational rehabilitation services and assist such employees in obtaining the best such services available.
(2)
section 944 of this title The Secretary shall direct the vocational rehabilitation of permanently disabled employees and shall arrange with the appropriate public or private agencies in States or Territories, possessions, or the District of Columbia for such rehabilitation. The Secretary may in his discretion furnish such prosthetic appliances or other apparatus made necessary by an injury upon which an award has been made under this chapter to render a disabled employee fit to engage in a remunerative occupation. Where necessary rehabilitation services are not available otherwise, the Secretary of Labor may, in his discretion, use the fund provided for in in such amounts as may be necessary to procure such services, including necessary prosthetic appliance or other apparatus. This fund shall also be available in such amounts as may be authorized in annual appropriations for the Department of Labor for the costs of administering this subsection.

Mar. 4, 1927, ch. 509, § 3944 Stat. 1442June 25, 1936, ch. 80449 Stat. 1921June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 32(b)62 Stat. 991May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 12763 Stat. 107Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 78263 Stat. 972July 26, 1956, ch. 735, § 770 Stat. 656Pub. L. 92–576, § 1786 Stat. 1262Pub. L. 98–426, § 27(a)(2)98 Stat. 1654(, ; , ; , ; , ; , title XI, § 1106(a), ; , ; , , ; , (c), , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 945 of this titlePub. L. 98–426, § 2598 Stat. 1654section 944 of this title, referred to in subsec. (a), was repealed by , , . See .

Codification

Pub. L. 89–554, § 7(b)80 Stat. 631In subsec. (a) “chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5” substituted for “the Classification Act of 1949, as amended” on authority of , , , the first section of which enacted Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

As originally enacted, subsec. (b) contained a reference to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. Act , substituted “the district court of the United States for the District of Columbia” for “the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia”, and act , as amended by act , substituted “United States District Court for the District of Columbia” for “district court of the United States for the District of Columbia”.

53 Stat. 1424Former second sentence of subsec. (c), providing that the Federal Board for Vocational Education should cooperate with the Employees’ Compensation Commission in such educational work has been omitted. The functions of the Board were transferred to the Department of the Interior by Ex. Ord. No. 6166, § 15, , and then to the Federal Security Agency by Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1939, §§ 201, 204, eff. , 4 F.R. 2728, . The Commission was abolished and its functions transferred to the Federal Security Administrator and the Federal Board for Vocational Education was abolished by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1946, former sections 3 and 8, respectively, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Amendments

Pub. L. 98–426, § 27(c)section 902 of this title1984—Subsec. (a). , substituted “Secretary” for “United States Employees’ Compensation Commission”. See Transfer of Functions note set out under .

Pub. L. 98–426, § 27(a)(2)section 902 of this titleSubsecs. (b), (c)(2). , substituted “Secretary” for “commission”. See Transfer of Functions note set out under .

Pub. L. 92–5761972—Subsec. (c). added par. (1) and redesignated existing provisions as par. (2).

section 944 of this title1956—Subsec. (c). Act , substituted “rehabilitation” for “education” at end of first sentence, and substituted last two sentences, relating to use of special fund where necessary rehabilitation services are not available, and availability of fund in amounts authorized annually for the Department of Labor for former sentence which provided that “If any surplus is left in any fiscal year in the fund provided for in , such surplus may be used in subsequent fiscal years for the purposes of administration and investigation.”

1949—Subsec. (a). Act , substituted “Classification Act of 1949” for “Classification Act of 1923”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–426section 28(e)(1) of Pub. L. 98–426section 901 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

Pub. L. 92–576section 22 of Pub. L. 92–576section 902 of this titleAmendment by effective 30 days after , see , set out as a note under .

Repeals

Act Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 632, cited as a credit to this section, was repealed (subject to a savings clause) by , , § 8, , 655.