5 U.S.C. § 7501: Definitions

For the purpose of this subchapter—(1) “employee” means an individual in the competitive service who is not serving a probationary or trial period under an initial appointment or who has completed 1 year of current continuous employment in the same or similar positions under other than a temporary appointment limited to 1 year or less; and (2) “suspension” means the placing of an employee, for disciplinary reasons, in a temporary status without duties and pay.