Public Law 119-102 (07/12/2026)

5 U.S.C. § 7326

Penalties

Section text and notes

An employee or individual who violates section 7323 or 7324 shall be subject to—
(1)
disciplinary action consisting of removal, reduction in grade, debarment from Federal employment for a period not to exceed 5 years, suspension, or reprimand;
(2)
an assessment of a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000; or
(3)
any combination of the penalties described in paragraph (1) or (2).

Pub. L. 112–230, § 4126 Stat. 1617 Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1097(k)(1)131 Stat. 1626 (Added , , ; amended , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 103–94, § 2(a)107 Stat. 1004 Pub. L. 112–230, § 4126 Stat. 1617 A prior section 7326, added , , , related to penalties, prior to repeal by , , .

Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 526 Pub. L. 103–94Another prior section 7326, , , , authorized nonpartisan political activities, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by .

Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 526 Pub. L. 96–54, § 2(a)(14)93 Stat. 382 Pub. L. 97–468, title VI, § 615(b)(1)(E)96 Stat. 2578 Pub. L. 103–94A prior section 7327, , , ; , (15), , ; , , , related to permitted political activity in certain municipalities where employees reside, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by .

Pub. L. 96–191, § 8(e)(1)94 Stat. 33 Pub. L. 103–94A prior section 7328, added , , , exempted employees of the General Accounting Office from provisions of this subchapter, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–912017— amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “An employee or individual who violates section 7323 or 7324 shall be subject to removal, reduction in grade, debarment from Federal employment for a period not to exceed 5 years, suspension, reprimand, or an assessment of a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2017 Amendment; Applicability

Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1097(k)(2)131 Stat. 1626

“The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall apply to any violation of section 7323 or 7324 of title 5, United States Code, occurring after the date of enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date; Applicability

section 5(a) of Pub. L. 112–230section 1501 of this titleSection effective 30 days after , see , set out as an Effective Date of 2012 Amendment note under .

Pub. L. 112–230, § 5(b)126 Stat. 1617

“(1)

In general .—

section 7326 of this titleExcept as provided in paragraph (2), the amendment made by section 4 [enacting this section and repealing former ] shall apply with respect to any violation occurring before, on, or after the effective date of this Act [see above].
“(2)

Exception .—

The amendment made by section 4 shall not apply with respect to an alleged violation if, before the effective date of this Act—
“(A)
section 1215 of title 5 the Special Counsel has presented a complaint for disciplinary action, under , United States Code, with respect to the alleged violation; or
“(B)
the employee alleged to have committed the violation has entered into a signed settlement agreement with the Special Counsel with respect to the alleged violation.”
, , , provided that: