§3332. Required direct deposit

(a)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all Federal wage, salary, and retirement payments shall be paid to recipients of such payments by electronic funds transfer, unless another method has been determined by the Secretary of the Treasury to be appropriate.

(2) Each recipient of Federal wage, salary, or retirement payments shall designate one or more financial institutions or other authorized payment agents and provide the payment certifying or authorizing agency information necessary for the recipient to receive electronic funds transfer payments through each institution so designated.

(b)(1) The head of each agency shall waive the requirements of subsection (a) of this section for a recipient of Federal wage, salary, or retirement payments authorized or certified by the agency upon written request by such recipient.

(2) Federal wage, salary, or retirement payments shall be paid to any recipient granted a waiver under paragraph (1) of this subsection by any method determined appropriate by the Secretary of the Treasury.

(c)(1) The Secretary of the Treasury may waive the requirements of subsection (a) of this section for any group of recipients upon request by the head of an agency under standards prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.

(2) Federal wage, salary, or retirement payments shall be paid to any member of a group granted a waiver under paragraph (1) of this subsection by any method determined appropriate by the Secretary of the Treasury.

(d) This section shall apply only to recipients of Federal wage or salary payments who begin to receive such payments on or after January 1, 1995, and recipients of Federal retirement payments who begin to receive such payments on or after January 1, 1995.

(e) The crediting of the amount of a payment to the appropriate account on the books of a financial institution or other authorized payment agent designated by a payment recipient under this section shall constitute a full acquittance to the United States for the amount of the payment.

( Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 955 ; Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VIII, §2814, July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1207 ; Pub. L. 103–356, title IV, §402(a), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3412 .)

In subsection (a), the definition of "agency" is omitted because of section 101 of the revised title. The words "and the municipal government of the District of Columbia" are omitted because of section 448 of the Act of December 24, 1973 ( Pub. L. 93–198, 87 Stat. 801 ). The text of section 1(b)(1st sentence) and (c)(1st sentence) of the Act of July 19, 1975, is omitted as executed. In clause (2), the words "savings bank" are omitted as surplus.

In subsections (b)–(f), the words "officer or employee" are substituted for "employee" for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.

In subsections (b) and (d), the word "official" is substituted for "officer" for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code. The words "issue a check payable to" are substituted for "make the payment . . . by sending to . . . a check that is drawn in favor of the organization" for clarity and consistency and to eliminate unnecessary words.

In subsection (b), before clause (1), the words "Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section or any other provision of law" are omitted as unnecessary. The words "may designate in writing not more than 3 financial organizations to which a payment of pay of the officer or employee shall be sent and the amount to be sent to each organization" are substituted for "upon the written request of an employee of the agency to whom a payment for wages or salary is to be made . . . in the form of one, two, or three checks (the number of checks . . . if more than one . . . designated by such employee" for clarity, consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code, and to eliminate unnecessary words.

In subsection (c), the words "(except for a financial organization designated by an officer or employee of either House of Congress)" are substituted for section 1(b)(last sentence) and (c)(last sentence) of the Act of July 19, 1975 ( Pub. L. 94–57, 89 Stat. 265 ), because of the restatement. The words "to which such check is sent" are omitted because of the restatement.

In subsection (d), the words "to whom a payment is to be made" are omitted as surplus. The words "upon the written request of such employee" are omitted as unnecessary. The words "accompanied by a schedule" are added for clarity.

In subsection (e), the word "payment" is substituted for "acquittance" for clarity and consistency.

Subsection (f) is substituted for 31:492(d)(1st–50th words) to eliminate unnecessary words.

In subsection (g), the words "rules and" in section 1(b) and (c) of the Act of July 19, 1975 ( Pub. L. 94–57, 89 Stat. 265 ), are omitted as surplus.

Amendments

1994-Pub. L. 103–356 substituted "Required direct deposit" for "Checks payable to financial organizations designated by Government officers and employees" as section catchline and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, section authorized agency officers and employees to designate not more than 3 financial organizations to which a payment of pay or other recurring payments was to be sent without charge and required the agency head to authorize issuance of checks payable to those financial organizations in the designated amounts.

1984-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–369, §2814(a), inserted "without charge" after "shall be sent".

Subsecs. (c) to (g). Pub. L. 98–369, §2814(b), struck out subsec. (c) which related to reimbursement of an agency for issuing additional checks, and redesignated subsecs. (d) to (g) as (c) to (f), respectively.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in title 10 sections 1053, 1594.