3 U.S.C. § 454 — Appropriate agencies

(a) In General: Except as (b) provides, the "appropriate agency" for handling an alleged violation of Part A of Subchapter II is the Board. Complaints about such violations are handled under procedures the President, or the President's designee, sets by regulation. (b) Exceptions: (1) Discrimination: For a claim arising under section 411 (or a claim of intimidation, reprisal, or discrimination under section 417, tied to conduct section 411 makes unlawful), the appropriate agency is instead the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The complaint is handled under the same procedures used for a similar complaint filed by any other executive-branch employee, other than a "covered employee." (2) Mixed cases: If a "covered employee" (as section 411 defines it) is affected by an action they could appeal to the Board, and also claims that discrimination banned by section 411 (or intimidation, reprisal, or discrimination under section 417 tied to section 411) played a part — the Board is the starting appropriate agency. The matter is then handled under section 7702(a)–(d) (skipping paragraph (2) of subsection (a)) and (f) of title 5. (3) Judicial review: No matter what any other law says — including any law referenced in (1) or (2) — courts review any decision made under this subsection only through an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, under section 1296 of title 28.