33 USC § 3042 - Separation pay

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t33/s3042"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "33 USC § 3042 - Separation pay"
title_number: 33
title_name: "NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS"
section_number: "3042"
section_name: "Separation pay"
chapter_number: 43
chapter_name: "NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION COMMISSIONED OFFICER CORPS"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT OF OFFICERS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 107–372, title II, § 242, Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3088; Pub. L. 116–259, title IV, § 402, Dec. 23, 2020, 134 Stat. 1178.)"
---


# § 3042. Separation pay

**(a)** **Authorization of payment** section 3041(a)(2) of this title

An officer who is separated under  and who has completed more than three years of continuous active service immediately before that separation is entitled to separation pay computed under subsection (b) unless the Secretary determines that the conditions under which the officer is separated do not warrant payment of that pay.

**(b)** **Amount of separation pay**

**(1)** **Six or more years** In the case of an officer who has completed six or more years of continuous active service immediately before that separation, the amount of separation pay to be paid to the officer under this section is 10 percent of the product of—

**(A)** the years of active service creditable to the officer; and

**(B)** 12 times the monthly basic pay to which the officer was entitled at the time of separation.

**(2)** **Three to six years** In the case of an officer who has completed three or more but fewer than six years of continuous active service immediately before that separation, the amount of separation pay to be paid to the officer under this section is one-half of the amount computed under paragraph (1).

**(c)** **Other conditions, requirements, and administrative provisions** section 1174 of title 10

The provisions of subsections (f), (g), and (h) of  shall apply to separation pay under this section in the same manner as such provisions apply to separation pay under that section.

**(d)** **Exception** An officer discharged for twice failing selection for promotion to the next higher grade is not entitled to separation pay under this section if the officer—

**(1)** expresses a desire not to be selected for promotion; or

**(2)** requests removal from the list of selectees.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 107–372, title II, § 242, Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3088; Pub. L. 116–259, title IV, § 402, Dec. 23, 2020, 134 Stat. 1178.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in  prior to repeal by .

### Amendments

2020—Subsec. (d).  added subsec. (d).