42 USC 18431 – Workforce stabilization and critical skills preservation
Prior to receipt by the Congress of the study, recommendations, and implementation strategy developed pursuant to section 1103,1 none of the funds authorized for use under this Act may be used to transfer the functions, missions, or activities, and associated civil service and contractor positions, from any NASA facility without authorization by the Congress to implement the proposed strategy. The Administrator shall preserve the critical skills and competencies in place at NASA centers prior to October 11, 2010, in order to facilitate timely implementation of the requirements of this chapter and to minimize disruption to the workforce. The Administrator may not implement any reduction-in-force or other involuntary separations of permanent, non-Senior-Executive-Service, civil servant employees before September 30, 2013, except for cause on charges of misconduct, delinquency, or inefficiency.