WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided federal appeals court has ruled that government employees involved in sensitive but noncritical national security work aren’t entitled to a key civil service protection available to other government workers.

The 7-3 ruling Tuesday by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington said the Merit Systems Protection Board can’t review dismissals and demotions of government employees who hold sensitive national security positions that aren’t deemed critical — even if their jobs don’t require access to classified information.