Advisory appointments and advisory appointees

(a) An advisory appointment is an appointment to a qualified position that:

(1) The Secretary determines is of a policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character or involves a close and confidential working relationship with the Secretary or other key appointed officials;

(2) Does not have a salary set by statute; and

(3) Is not required to be filled by an appointment by the President.

(b) An advisory appointment to a qualified position is treated as a Schedule C position under 5 CFR 213.3301 except regarding appointment and compensation. Talent management for a DHS-CS advisory appointee is in accordance with the provisions of 5 CFR applicable to Schedule C appointees, except that appointment and compensation for a DHS-CS advisory appointee is governed by this part.

(c) Employment restrictions such as those concerning the criminal conflict of interest statutes, standards of ethical conduct, partisan political activity, and contained in laws such as Executive Orders, government-wide ethics regulations and the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. 7321 et seq.), apply to a DHS-CS advisory appointee as if the employee were a Schedule C appointee.

(d) The Department tracks and coordinates advisory appointments with the Executive Office of the President and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), as appropriate.