# § 831b. Officers and employees; wages of laborers and mechanics; application of employees’ compensation provisions
**(a)** **Appointment by the chief executive officer** The chief executive officer shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Board, and without regard to the provisions of the civil service laws applicable to officers and employees of the United States, such managers, assistant managers, officers, employees, attorneys, and agents as are necessary for the transaction of the business of the Corporation.
**(b)** **Wage rates** All contracts to which the Corporation is a party and which require the employment of laborers and mechanics in the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of buildings, dams, locks, or other projects shall contain a provision that not less than the prevailing rate of wages for work of a similar nature prevailing in the vicinity shall be paid to such laborers or mechanics.
In the event any dispute arises as to what are the prevailing rates of wages, the question shall be referred to the Secretary of Labor for determination, and his decision shall be final. In the determination of such prevailing rate or rates, due regard shall be given to those rates which have been secured through collective agreement by representatives of employers and employees.
Where such work as is described in the two preceding paragraphs is done directly by the Corporation the prevailing rate of wages shall be paid in the same manner as though such work had been let by contract.
Insofar as applicable, the benefits of subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5 shall extend to persons given employment under the provisions of this chapter.
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**Source Credit**: (May 18, 1933, ch. 32, § 3, 48 Stat. 59; Pub. L. 92–310, title II, § 225(a), June 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 206; Pub. L. 108–447, div. C, title VI, § 602, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2966.)
## Editorial Notes
### Codification
In the last par. of subsec. (b), “subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5” substituted for “the Act entitled ‘An Act to provide compensation for employees of the United States suffering injuries while in the performance of their duties, and for other purposes,’ approved , as amended” on authority of , , , the first section of which enacted Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
### Amendments
2004— added subsec. (a), designated existing provisions as subsec. (b) and inserted heading, and struck out former first undesignated par. which read as follows: “The board shall without regard to the provisions of Civil Service laws applicable to officers and employees of the United States, appoint such managers, assistant managers, officers, employees, attorneys, and agents as are necessary for the transaction of its business, fix their compensation, define their duties, and provide a system of organization to fix responsibility and promote efficiency. Any appointee of the board may be removed in the discretion of the board. No regular officer or employee of the Corporation shall receive a salary in excess of that received by the members of the board.”
1972— struck out provisions which permitted the board to require bonds from managers, assistant managers, officers, employees, attorneys, and agents.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2004 Amendment
Amendment by effective on the later of the date on which at least three persons nominated under take office or , see , set out in an Appointments; Effective Date; Transition note under .
### Payment of Physicians Allowances
> “That this appropriation and other moneys available to the Tennessee Valley Authority may be used hereafter for payment of the allowances authorized by
>
> , United States Code”.
, , , provided:
Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation acts:
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, , , 1329–129.
, , , 1783–212, and , , , 3341–212.
### Legal Representation
Customs Courts Act of 1980 as not affecting authority of Tennessee Valley Authority under this chapter to represent itself by attorneys of its choosing, see , , , set out as a note under , Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.