Retention of Federal employee coverage, rights and benefits by employees of tribal organizations

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 8347(o), 8713, and 8914 of title 5, executive order, or administrative regulation, an employee serving under an appointment not limited to one year or less who leaves Federal employment to be employed by a tribal organization, the city of St. Paul, Alaska, the city of St. George, Alaska, upon incorporation, or the Village Corporations of St. Paul and St. George Islands established pursuant to section 1607 of title 43, in connection with governmental or other activities which are or have been performed by employees in or for Indian communities is entitled, if the employee and the tribal organization so elect, to the following: To retain coverage, rights, and benefits under subchapter I of chapter 81 (“Compensation for Work Injuries”) of title 5, and for this purpose his employment with the tribal organization shall be deemed employment by the United States. However, if an injured employee, or his dependents in case of his death, receives from the tribal organization any payment (including an allowance, gratuity, payment under an insurance policy for which the premium is wholly paid by the tribal organization, or other benefit of any kind) on account of the same injury or death, the amount of that payment shall be credited against any benefit payable under subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, as follows: During the period an employee is entitled to the coverage, rights, and benefits pursuant to the preceding subsection, the tribal organization employing such employee shall deposit currently in the appropriate funds the employee deductions and agency contributions required by paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of such preceding subsection. An employee who is employed by a tribal organization under subsection (e) of this section and such tribal organization shall make the election to retain the coverages, rights, and benefits in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of such subsection (e) before the date of his employment by a tribal organization. An employee who is employed by a tribal organization under subsection (e) of this section shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of such subsection if he is employed by another tribal organization to perform service in activities of the type described in such subsection. For the purposes of subsections (e), (f), and (g) of this section, the term “employee” means an employee as defined in section 2105 of title 5. The President may prescribe regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h) of this section and to protect and assure the compensation, retirement, insurance, leave, reemployment rights, and such other similar civil service employment rights as he finds appropriate. Anything in sections 205 and 207 of title 18 to the contrary notwithstanding— The status of an Indian (as defined in section 5129 of this title) appointed (except temporary appointments) to the Federal service under an excepted appointment under the authority of section 5116 of this title, or any other provision of law granting a preference to Indians in personnel actions, shall be converted to a career appointment in the competitive service after three years of continuous service and satisfactory performance. The conversion shall not alter the Indian’s eligibility for preference in personnel actions.