§ 5323 — Retention Of Federal Employee Coverage, Rights And Benefits By Employees Of Tribal Organizations

(a) (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 8347(o), 8713, and 8914 of title 5, executive order, or administrative regulation, an employee serving under an appointment not limited to one year or less who leaves Federal employment to be employed by a tribal organization, the city of St. Paul, Alaska, the city of St. George, Alaska, upon incorporation, or the Village Corporations of St. Paul and St. George Islands established pursuant to section 1607 of title 43, in connection with governmental or other activities which are or have been performed by employees in or for Indian communities is entitled, if the employee and the tribal organization so elect, to the following: (1) To retain coverage, rights, and benefits under subchapter I of chapter 81 (“Compensation for Work Injuries”) of title 5, and for this purpose his employment with the tribal organization shall be deemed employment by the United States. However, if an injured employee, or his dependents in case of his death, receives from the tribal organization any payment (including an allowance, gratuity, payment under an insurance policy for which the premium is wholly paid by the tribal organization, or other benefit of any kind) on account of the same injury or death, the amount of that payment shall be credited against any benefit payable under subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, as follows: (A) payments on account of injury or disability shall be credited against disability compensation payable to the injured employee; and (B) payments on account of death shall be credited against death compensation payable to dependents of the deceased employee. (2) To retain coverage, rights, and benefits under chapter 83 (“Retirement”) or chapter 84 (“Federal Employees Retirement System”) of title 5, if necessary employee deductions and agency contributions in payment for coverage, rights, and benefits for the period of employment with the tribal organization are currently deposited in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (section 8348 of title 5); and the period during which coverage, rights, and benefits are retained under this paragraph is deemed creditable service under section 8332 of title 5. Days of unused sick leave to the credit of an employee under a formal leave system at the time the employee leaves Federal employment to be employed by a tribal organization remain to his credit for retirement purposes during covered service with the tribal organization. (3) To retain coverage, rights, and benefits under chapter 89 (“Health Insurance”) of title 5, if necessary employee deductions and agency contributions in payment for the coverage, rights, and benefits for the period of employment with the tribal organization are currently deposited in the Employee’s Health Benefit Fund (section 8909 of title 5); and the period during which coverage, rights, and benefits are retained under this paragraph is deemed service as an employee under chapter 89 of title 5. (4) To retain coverage, rights, and benefits under chapter 87 (“Life Insurance”) of title 5, if necessary employee deductions and agency contributions in payment for the coverage, rights, and benefits for the period of employment with the tribal organizations are currently deposited in the Employee’s Life Insurance Fund (section 8714 of title 5); and the period during which coverage, rights, and benefits are retained under this paragraph is deemed service as an employee under chapter 87 of title 5. (f) During the period an employee is entitled to the coverage, rights, and benefits pursuant to the preceding subsection, the tribal organization employing such employee shall deposit currently in the appropriate funds the employee deductions and agency contributions required by paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of such preceding subsection. (g) An employee who is employed by a tribal organization under subsection (e) of this section and such tribal organization shall make the election to retain the coverages, rights, and benefits in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of such subsection (e) before the date of his employment by a tribal organization. An employee who is employed by a tribal organization under subsection (e) of this section shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of such subsection if he is employed by another tribal organization to perform service in activities of the type described in such subsection. (h) For the purposes of subsections (e), (f), and (g) of this section, the term “employee” means an employee as defined in section 2105 of title 5. (i) The President may prescribe regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h) of this section and to protect and assure the compensation, retirement, insurance, leave, reemployment rights, and such other similar civil service employment rights as he finds appropriate. (j) Anything in sections 205 and 207 of title 18 to the contrary notwithstanding— (1) an officer or employee of the United States assigned to a tribal organization (as defined in section 5304(l) of this title) or an inter-tribal consortium (as defined in section 5381 of this title), as authorized under section 3372 of title 5 or section 48 of this title may act as agent or attorney for, and appear on behalf of, such tribal organization or inter-tribal consortium in connection with any matter related to a tribal governmental activity or Federal Indian program or service pending before any department, agency, court, or commission, including any matter in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest: Provided, That such officer or employee must advise in writing the head of the department, agency, court, or commission with which the officer or employee is dealing or appearing on behalf of the tribal organization or inter-tribal consortium of any personal and substantial involvement with the matter involved; and (2) a former officer or employee of the United States who is carrying out official duties as an employee or as an elected or appointed official of a tribal organization (as defined in section 5304(l) of this title) or inter-tribal consortium (as defined in section 5381 of this title) may act as agent or attorney for, and appear on behalf of, such tribal organization or intra-tribal consortium in connection with any matter related to a tribal governmental activity or Federal Indian program or service pending before any department, agency, court, or commission, including any matter in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest: Provided, That such former officer or employee must advise in writing the head of the department, agency, court, or commission with which the former officer or employee is dealing or appearing on behalf of the tribal organization or inter-tribal consortium of any personal and substantial involvement that he or she may have had as an officer or employee of the United States in connection with the matter involved. (k) (m) The status of an Indian (as defined in section 5129 of this title) appointed (except temporary appointments) to the Federal service under an excepted appointment under the authority of section 5116 of this title, or any other provision of law granting a preference to Indians in personnel actions, shall be converted to a career appointment in the competitive service after three years of continuous service and satisfactory performance. The conversion shall not alter the Indian’s eligibility for preference in personnel actions.