---
type: "LegalText"
title: "3 U.S.C. § 453"
description: "Election of proceeding"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 3
title_name: "THE PRESIDENT"
chapter_number: "5"
chapter_name: "EXTENSION OF CERTAIN RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS TO PRESIDENTIAL OFFICES"
section: "453"
citation: "3 U.S.C. § 453"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc03@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t3/s453"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-03/usc03.xml"
source_hash: "28b6baa8a2a517af10dc13290cf3ff38846a89711ef7f80e61522b4bc9413ccc"
raw_snapshot_hash: "77a9a12d323e6a5be87d28f0cedc0395edf9086ec7ba6f6cc66191cec05ed95e"
text_hash: "254a628fe499acec3b5252631ab978a2fd94f2ce7f63d260cb646605ff0dc8d9"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 3 U.S.C. § 453 - Election of proceeding

## Text

Not later than 90 days after a covered employee receives notice of the end of the period of mediation, but no sooner than 30 days after receipt of such notification, such covered employee may either—

(1) file a complaint with the appropriate agency, as determined under section 454; or

(2) file a civil action under section 1346(g) of title 28.

(Added Pub. L. 104–331, § 2(a), Oct. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 4067.)