5 USC § 7521 - Actions against administrative law judges

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t5/s7521"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "5 USC § 7521 - Actions against administrative law judges"
title_number: 5
title_name: "GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES"
section_number: "7521"
section_name: "Actions against administrative law judges"
chapter_number: 75
chapter_name: "ADVERSE ACTIONS"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES"
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. 95–454, title II, § 204(a), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1137; amended Pub. L. 101–12, § 9(a)(2), Apr. 10, 1989, 103 Stat. 35.)"
---


# § 7521. Actions against administrative law judges

**(a)** An action may be taken against an administrative law judge appointed under section 3105 of this title by the agency in which the administrative law judge is employed only for good cause established and determined by the Merit Systems Protection Board on the record after opportunity for hearing before the Board.

**(b)** The actions covered by this section are—

but do not include—

**(1)** a removal;

**(2)** a suspension;

**(3)** a reduction in grade;

**(4)** a reduction in pay; and

**(5)** a furlough of 30 days or less;

**(A)** a suspension or removal under section 7532 of this title;

**(B)** a reduction-in-force action under section 3502 of this title; or

**(C)** any action initiated under section 1215 of this title.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 95–454, title II, § 204(a), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1137; amended Pub. L. 101–12, § 9(a)(2), Apr. 10, 1989, 103 Stat. 35.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 7521, , , ; , , , related to removal of an administrative law judge appointed under , prior to repeal by .

### Amendments

1989—Subsec. (b)(C).  substituted “1215” for “1206”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1989 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 90 days following , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date

Section effective 90 days after , see , set out as an Effective Date of 1978 Amendment note under .