---
type: "LegalText"
title: "5 U.S.C. § 5381"
description: "Definitions"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 5
title_name: "GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES"
chapter_number: "53"
chapter_name: "PAY RATES AND SYSTEMS"
section: "5381"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 5381"
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_usc05@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t5/s5381"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-05/usc05.xml"
source_hash: "ac1f6cd4c56fdf0cc6726e09cf4e0a533404ac704054fa397f1155ab02c779be"
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text_hash: "ea1c59d9583895debe54ab803c6290f1ecad7469ccb726ab114ca0912487f29a"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 5 U.S.C. § 5381 - Definitions

## Text

For the purpose of this subchapter, “agency”, “Senior Executive Service position”, “career appointee”, and “senior executive” have the meanings set forth in section 3132(a) of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 95–454, title IV, § 407(a), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1171; amended Pub. L. 101–136, title VI, § 625(b), Nov. 3, 1989, 103 Stat. 823.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments1989—Pub. L. 101–136 inserted “ ‘career appointee’,” before “and”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective DateSection effective 9 months after Oct. 13, 1978, and congressional review of provisions of sections 401 through 412 of Pub. L. 95–454, see section 415(a)(1), (b) of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 3131 of this title.