Employment of readers for blind employees

§ 3102. Employment of readers for blind employees (a) For the purpose of this section— (1) “agency” means— (A) an Executive agency; (B) the Library of Congress; and (C) the government of the District of Columbia; (2) “head of each agency” means the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia with respect to the government of the District of Columbia; (3) “blind employee” means an individual employed by an agency who establishes, to the satisfaction of the appropriate authority of the agency concerned and under regulations of the head of that agency, that he has an impairment of sight, either permanent or temporary, which is so severe or disabling that the employment of a reading assistant or assistants for that individual is necessary or desirable to enable him properly to perform his work; and (4) “nonprofit organization” means an organization determined by the Secretary of the Treasury to be an organization described by section 501(c) of title 26 which is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of title 26. (b) The head of each agency may employ a reading assistant or assistants for a blind employee of his agency, to serve without pay from the agency, without regard to— (1) the provisions of this title governing appointment in the competitive service; and (2) chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of this title. A reading assistant so employed may be paid and receive pay for his services as reading assistant by and from the blind employee or a non-profit organization, without regard to section 209 of title 18. (c) This section may not be held or considered to prevent or limit in any way the assignment to a blind employee by an agency of clerical or secretarial assistance, at the expense of the agency and under statutes and regulations currently applicable at the time, if that assistance normally is provided, or authorized to be provided, in that manner under currently applicable statutes and regulations.