kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd baɪ ðə sˈɪvəl sˈɜːvɪs ɹᵻfˈɔːɹm ˈækt ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt, ɪɾ ɪz ɐ kwˈeɪzaɪdʒuːdˈɪʃəl bˈɑːdi wɪð θɹˈiː fˈʊltˈaɪm mˈɛmbɚz hˌuː ɑːɹ ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd fɔːɹ fˈaɪvjˈɪɹ tˈɜːmz baɪ ðə pɹˈɛzɪdənt wɪððɪ ɐdvˈaɪs ænd kənsˈɛnt ʌvðə sˈɛnət.
Created by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, it is a quasi-judicial body with three full-time members who are appointed for five-year terms by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.