5 U.S.C. § 7543 — Cause and procedure

(a) Under Office of Personnel Management regulations, an agency may take an action covered by this subchapter against an employee only for misconduct, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or refusal to accept a directed reassignment or accompany a position transferred to another function. (b) An employee facing such an action is entitled to (1) at least 30 days' advance written notice, unless there is reasonable cause to believe the employee committed a crime punishable by imprisonment, stating specific reasons; (2) a reasonable time, at least 7 days, to answer orally and in writing and provide affidavits and documents; (3) representation by an attorney or other representative; and (4) a written decision with specific reasons as soon as practicable. (c) An agency may by regulation provide a hearing in place of, or in addition to, the subsection (b)(2) chance to answer. (d) An employee against whom action is taken may appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board under section 7701. (e) The agency must keep the proposed-action notice, the employee's written answer or a summary of an oral answer, the decision notice and reasons, any order carrying out the action, and supporting material. It must provide these to the Board on request and to the affected employee on request.