5 USC § 7326 - Penalties

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t5/s7326"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "5 USC § 7326 - Penalties"
title_number: 5
title_name: "GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES"
section_number: "7326"
section_name: "Penalties"
chapter_number: 73
chapter_name: "SUITABILITY, SECURITY, AND CONDUCT"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "POLITICAL ACTIVITIES"
part_number: "III"
part_name: "EMPLOYEES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 112–230, § 4, Dec. 28, 2012, 126 Stat. 1617; amended Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1097(k)(1), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1626.)"
---


# § 7326. Penalties

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).

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 112–230, § 4, Dec. 28, 2012, 126 Stat. 1617; amended Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1097(k)(1), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1626.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 7326, added , , , related to penalties, prior to repeal by , , .

Another prior section 7326, , , , authorized nonpartisan political activities, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by .

A prior section 7327, , , ; , (15), , ; , , , related to permitted political activity in certain municipalities where employees reside, prior to the general revision of this subchapter by .

A 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

2017— 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

> “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 effective 30 days after , see , set out as an Effective Date of 2012 Amendment note under .

> **“(1)** **In general.—** Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendment made by section 4 [enacting this section and repealing former section 7326 of this title] 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)** the Special Counsel has presented a complaint for disciplinary action, under section 1215 of title 5, 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: