359.501—General.
               		
               	 	
               	 	
               	 	               	 	               	 	               	 	               	 	
               	 	
    
        
        (a) Coverage.
        
        (1) 
         This subpart covers—
     
    
        
        (i) 
         A career appointee who has completed the probationary period in the SES; and
     
    
        
        (ii) 
         A career appointee who is not required to serve a probationary period in the SES.
     
    
        
        (2) 
         This subpart does not cover, however, a career appointee who is serving as a reemployed annuitant. See subpart I of this part for removal of a reemployed annuitant.
     
    
        
        (b) Definitions—
        
        (1) 
        
            Final rating means the rating of record made by an appointing authority under the SES performance appraisal system in accordance with the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(3) and  part 430, subpart C, of this chapter.
     
    
        
        (2) 
         A less than fully successful final rating means a rating of unsatisfactory or minimally satisfactory.
     
    
        
        (c) Optional removal from the SES.
         The agency may remove a career appointee from the SES after the appointee has been given one final rating of unsatisfactory.
     
    
        
        (d) Mandatory removal from the SES.
         The agency must remove a career appointee from the SES after—
     
    
        
        (1) 
         The appointee has been given two final ratings of unsatisfactory within 5 consecutive years; or
     
    
        
        (2) 
         The appointee has been given two final ratings of less than fully successful within 3 consecutive years.