---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 1203"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "1203"
heading: "Chairman; Vice Chairman"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/1203"
units:
  - "Part II — Civil Service Functions and Responsibilities"
  - "Chapter 12 — Merit Systems Protection Board, Office of Special Counsel, and Employee Right of Action"
  - "Subchapter I — Merit Systems Protection Board"
---

# §1203. Chairman; Vice Chairman

- (a) The President shall from time to time appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, one of the [members](/usc/5/5531.md?p=1) of the Merit Systems Protection [Board](/usc/5/8401.md?p=5) as the Chairman of the [Board](/usc/5/8401.md?p=5). The Chairman is the chief executive and administrative officer of the [Board](/usc/5/8401.md?p=5).
- (b) The President shall from time to time designate one of the [members](/usc/5/5531.md?p=1) of the [Board](/usc/5/8401.md?p=5) as Vice Chairman of the [Board](/usc/5/8401.md?p=5). During the absence or disability of the Chairman, or when the office of Chairman is vacant, the Vice Chairman shall perform the functions vested in the Chairman.
- (c) During the absence or disability of both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, or when the offices of Chairman and Vice Chairman are vacant, the remaining [Board](/usc/5/8401.md?p=5) [member](/usc/5/5531.md?p=1) shall perform the functions vested in the Chairman.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 95–454, title II, § 202(a), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1122; amended Pub. L. 101–12, § 3(a)(4), (5), Apr. 10, 1989, 103 Stat. 17.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1989—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–12, § 3(a)(4), struck out the comma after “time” in first sentence.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–12, § 3(a)(5), substituted “the Chairman and the Vice Chairman” for “the Chairman and Vice Chairman” after “both”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1989 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 101–12 effective 90 days following Apr. 10, 1989, see section 11 of Pub. L. 101–12, set out as a note under section 1201 of this title.