3 U.S.C. § 435 — Generally applicable remedies and limitations

(a) Attorney's Fees. If a covered employee - for a claim under this chapter - or a qualified person with a disability - for a claim under section 421 - wins as the "prevailing party" in a proceeding under section 453(1), the administrative agency handling it can award attorney's fees, expert fees, and other costs, using the same standard that would apply under section 706(k) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (b) Interest. In a section 453(1) proceeding, the same kind of interest - to make up for delay in payment - is available as would be allowed under section 717(d) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (c) Civil Penalties and Punitive Damages. Unless this chapter specifically says otherwise, no civil penalty and no punitive damages can be awarded for a claim under this chapter. (d) Exclusive Procedure. (1) In general. Except as paragraph (2) allows, no one may start an administrative or court case to enforce the rights and protections this chapter gives, except through the procedures this chapter itself sets out, plus sections 1296 and 1346(g) and chapter 179 of title 28. (2) Veterans. A covered employee under section 416 may still use the parts of chapter 43 of title 38 that apply to that employee. (e) Scope of Remedy. Only a covered employee who has gone through and finished the procedures in section 452 can be granted a remedy under part A of this subchapter. (f) Construction. (1) Definitions and exemptions. Except where this chapter's own definitions and exemptions conflict, the definitions and exemptions from the other laws this chapter incorporates still apply here. (2) Size limitations. Even so, rules from those other incorporated laws (other than paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 2(a) of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) that decide coverage based on size - whether measured by number of employees, amount of business, or some other measure - do not apply when deciding coverage under this chapter. (g) Political Affiliation. It is not a violation of this chapter to base an employment decision on a covered employee's party affiliation or political compatibility with the office that employs them.