Except as provided in subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this section, volunteers under this chapter shall not be deemed Federal employees and shall not be subject to the provisions of laws relating to Federal officers and employees and Federal employment.

Individuals enrolled as volunteers for periods of full-time service, or, as the Director deems appropriate in accordance with regulations, for periods of part-time service of not less than 20 hours per week for not less than 26 consecutive weeks, under subchapter I of this chapter shall, with respect to such service or training, (1) for the purposes of subchapter III of chapter 73 of title 5, be deemed persons employed in the executive branch of the Federal Government, (2) for the purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.) and title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.), be deemed employees of the United States, and any service performed by an individual as a volunteer (including training) shall be deemed to be performed in the employ of the United States, (3) for the purposes of the Federal Tort Claims provisions of title 28, be deemed employees of the United States, (4) for the purposes of subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5 (relative to compensation to Federal employees for work injuries), shall be deemed civil employees of the United States within the meaning of the term “employee” as defined in section 8101 of title 5, and the provisions of that subchapter shall apply except as follows: (A) in computing compensation benefits for disability or death, the annual rate of pay of a volunteer enrolled for a period of full-time service under such subchapter I shall be deemed to be that received under the entrance salary for an employee at grade GS–5 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, and the annual rate of pay of a volunteer enrolled for a period of part-time service under such subchapter I shall be deemed to be such entry salary or an appropriate portion thereof as determined by the Director, and subsections (a) and (b) of section 8113 of title 5 shall apply, and (B) compensation for disability shall not begin to accrue until the day following the date on which the injured volunteer is terminated, and (5) be deemed employees of the United States for the purposes of section 5584 of title 5 (and stipends and allowances paid under this chapter shall be considered as pay for such purposes).

Volunteers serving in programs for periods of service of at least one year under part A of subchapter I of this chapter, and volunteers serving for such periods under title VIII of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2991–2994d), including those whose service was completed under such Act, who the Director determines, in accordance with regulations the Director shall prescribe, have successfully completed their periods of service, shall be eligible for appointment in the competitive service in the same manner as Peace Corps volunteers as prescribed in Executive Order Number 11103 (April 10, 1963).

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all references in any other law to persons serving as volunteers under title VIII of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended [42 U.S.C. 2991 et seq.], shall be deemed to be references to persons serving as full-time volunteers in a program of at least one year’s duration under part A, B (as such part was in effect on the day before April 21, 2009), or C of subchapter I of this chapter.