§656. Certification of arbitrators

(a) Standards for Certification.-Each district court listed in section 658 shall establish standards for the certification of arbitrators and shall certify arbitrators to perform services in accordance with such standards and this chapter. The standards shall include provisions requiring that any arbitrator-

(1) shall take the oath or affirmation described in section 453, and

(2) shall be subject to the disqualification rules of section 455.

(b) Treatment of Arbitrator as Independent Contractor and Special Government Employee.-An arbitrator is an independent contractor and is subject to the provisions of sections 201 through 211 of title 18 to the same extent as such provisions apply to a special Government employee of the executive branch. A person may not be barred from the practice of law because such person is an arbitrator.

(Added Pub. L. 100–702, title IX, §901(a), Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4662 .)