Appointments to positions in the postal field service

§ 3551. Appointments to positions in the postal field service (a) The Postmaster General may appoint any person who has been employed in a civilian capacity in any branch of the Government to any position in a regional or district office or to any professional or scientific position and may place him in any step in the salary level of the Postal Field Service Schedule which is less than one full step above the highest basic salary which he received from the United States. (b) The Postmaster General may appoint any employee of the legislative branch whose compensation is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives, and who 74 Stat. 649 has completed two or more years of service as such an employee, to any position in the postal field service and may fix his initial rate of compensation at the minimum rate of the appropriate level of the basic salary schedule applicable to the position, or at any step of that level that does not exceed the highest previous rate of compensation received by him during his service in the legislative branch.