US Code

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

5 U.S.C. § 3341

Details; within Executive or military departments

(a)
The head of an Executive department or military department may detail employees among the bureaus and offices of his department, except employees who are required by law to be exclusively engaged on some specific work.
(b)
(1)
Details under subsection (a) of this section may be made only by written order of the head of the department, and may be for not more than 120 days. These details may be renewed by written order of the head of the department, in each particular case, for periods not exceeding 120 days.
(2)
The 120-day limitation in paragraph (1) for details and renewals of details does not apply to the Department of Defense in the case of a detail—
(A)
made in connection with the closure or realignment of a military installation pursuant to a base closure law or an organizational restructuring of the Department as part of a reduction in the size of the armed forces or the civilian workforce of the Department; and
(B)
in which the position to which the employee is detailed is eliminated on or before the date of the closure, realignment, or restructuring.
(c)
section 101(a)(17) of title 10 For purposes of this section, the term “base closure law” has the meaning given such term in .

Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 424Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title X, § 1033(a)110 Stat. 429Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title X, § 1056(a)(4)119 Stat. 3439(, , ; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derivation

U.S. Code

Revised Statutes and

Statutes at Large

 

5 U.S.C. 38.

R.S. § 166.

May 28, 1896, ch. 252, § 3, 29 Stat. 179.

The words “Executive department” are substituted for “department” as the definition of “department” applicable to this section is coextensive with the definition of “Executive department” in section 101.

63 Stat. 57863 Stat. 591The words “or military department” are inserted to preserve the application of the source law. Before enactment of the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (), the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force were Executive departments. The National Security Act Amendments of 1949 established the Department of Defense as an Executive Department including the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force as military departments, not as Executive departments. However, the source law for this section, which was in effect in 1949, remained applicable to the Secretaries of the military departments by virtue of section 12(g) of the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (), which is set out in the reviser’s note for section 301.

The word “detail” is coextensive with and is substituted for “alter the distribution”. The word “clerks” is omitted as included in “employees”. The words “as he may find it necessary and proper to do” and “from time to time” are omitted as surplusage.

Act of July 26, 1947, ch. 343, § 201(d)Aug. 10, 1949, ch. 412, § 463 Stat. 5795 U.S.C. 171–1This section was part of title IV of the Revised Statutes. The , as added , (former ), which provides “Except to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of this Act [National Security Act of 1947], the provisions of title IV of the Revised Statutes as now or hereafter amended shall be applicable to the Department of Defense” is omitted from this title but is not repealed.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 109–1632006—Subsec. (c). amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) defined the terms “base closure law” and “military installation” for purposes of this section.

Pub. L. 104–1061996—Subsec. (b). designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Pub. L. 104–106, § 1033(a)(2)Subsec. (c). , added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title X, § 1033(b)110 Stat. 430

“The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] apply to details made before the date of the enactment of this Act [] but still in effect on that date and details made on or after that date.”
, , , provided that:

Transfer of Appropriated Funds; Funding of Detailed Employees

section 515(3) of Pub. L. 103–333section 1301 of Title 31For restriction on availability of funds for salaries of employees reassigned on temporary detail basis to another position without independent approval by head of employing department or agency, see , set out as a note under , Money and Finance.