5 U.S.C. § 5545a Availability Pay For Criminal Investigators

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023 Edition
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-19 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/06/2023)

(a) For purposes of this section-

(1) the term "available" refers to the availability of a criminal investigator and means that an investigator shall be considered generally and reasonably accessible by the agency employing such investigator to perform unscheduled duty based on the needs of an agency;

(2) the term "criminal investigator" means a law enforcement officer as defined under section 5541(3) (other than an officer occupying a position under title II of Public Law 99-399 subject to subsection (k)) who is required to-

(A) possess a knowledge of investigative techniques, laws of evidence, rules of criminal procedure, and precedent court decisions concerning admissibility of evidence, constitutional rights, search and seizure, and related issues;

(B) recognize, develop, and present evidence that reconstructs events, sequences and time elements for presentation in various legal hearings and court proceedings;

(C) demonstrate skills in applying surveillance techniques, undercover work, and advising and assisting the United States Attorney in and out of court;

(D) demonstrate the ability to apply the full range of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for cases which are complex and unfold over a long period of time (as distinguished from certain other occupations that require the use of some investigative techniques in short-term situations that may end in arrest or detention);

(E) possess knowledge of criminal laws and Federal rules of procedure which apply to cases involving crimes against the United States, including-

(i) knowledge of the elements of a crime;

(ii) evidence required to prove the crime;

(iii) decisions involving arrest authority;

(iv) methods of criminal operations; and

(v) availability of detection devices; and

(F) possess the ability to follow leads that indicate a crime will be committed rather than initiate an investigation after a crime is committed;

(3) the term "unscheduled duty" means hours of duty a criminal investigator works, or is determined to be available for work, that are not-

(A) part of the 40 hours in the basic work week of the investigator; or

(B) overtime hours paid under section 5542; and

(4) the term "regular work day" means each day in the investigator's basic work week during which the investigator works at least 4 hours that are not overtime hours paid under section 5542 or hours considered part of section 5545a.

(b) The purpose of this section is to provide premium pay to criminal investigators to ensure the availability of criminal investigators for unscheduled duty in excess of a 40 hour work week based on the needs of the employing agency.

(c) Each criminal investigator shall be paid availability pay as provided under this section. Availability pay shall be paid to ensure the availability of the investigator for unscheduled duty. The investigator is generally responsible for recognizing, without supervision, circumstances which require the investigator to be on duty or be available for unscheduled duty based on the needs of the agency. Availability pay provided to a criminal investigator for such unscheduled duty shall be paid instead of premium pay provided by other provisions of this subchapter, except premium pay for regularly scheduled overtime work as provided under section 5542, night duty, Sunday duty, and holiday duty.