The Director and the additional staff of the Board may be appointed without regard to section
5311
(b) of title
5, United States Code, and without regard to the provisions of such title governing appointments in the competitive service, and may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that the compensation of any employee of the Board may not exceed a rate equivalent to the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332(a) of such title.