### §3317. Competitive service; certification from registers

(a) The Office of Personnel Management shall certify enough names from the top of the appropriate register to permit a nominating or appointing authority who has requested a certificate of eligibles to consider at least three names for appointment to each vacancy in the competitive service.

(b) When an appointing authority, for reasons considered sufficient by the Office, has three times considered and passed over a preference eligible who was certified from a register, certification of the preference eligible for appointment may be discontinued. However, the preference eligible is entitled to advance notice of discontinuance of certification.

(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 421; Pub. L. 95–454, title IX, §906(a)(3), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1224; Pub. L. 96–54, §2(a)(14), (15), Aug. 14, 1979, 93 Stat. 382.)

#### Repeal and Reenactment of Section

Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XI, §1107(a), (d), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2002, 2005, provided that, effective on the date on which the Director of the Office of Personnel Management issues final regulations for implementation, with such regulations due not later than one year after Aug. 13, 2018, this section is repealed and a new section 3317 is enacted to read as follows:

#### §3317. Competitive service; certification using numerical ratings

(a) Certification.—

(1) In general.—The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, or the head of an agency to which the Director has delegated examining authority under section 1104(a)(2), shall certify a sufficient number of names from the top of the appropriate register or list of eligibles, as determined pursuant to regulations prescribed under subsection (c), and provide a certificate with such names to an appointing authority that has requested a certificate of eligibles to consider when filling a job in the competitive service.

(2) Minimum number of names certified.—Unless otherwise provided for in regulations prescribed under subsection (c), the number of names certified under paragraph (1) shall be not less than three.

(b) Discontinuance of Certification.—When an appointing authority, for reasons considered sufficient by the Director or head of an agency, has three times considered and passed over a preference eligible who was certified from a register, the Director or head of any agency may discontinue certifying the preference eligible for appointment. The Director or the head of an agency shall provide to such preference eligible notice of the intent to discontinue certifying such preference eligible prior to the discontinuance of certification.

(c) Regulations.—The Director shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this section. Such regulations shall include the establishment of mechanisms for identifying the eligibles who will be considered for each vacancy. Such mechanisms may include cut-off scores.

(d) Definition.—In this section, the term "Director" means the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.

| Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes and Statutes at Large |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | 5 U.S.C. 857 (1st sentence and 2d proviso). | June 27, 1944, ch. 287, §8 (1st sentence and 2d proviso), 58 Stat. 389. |

Statutes at Large

In subsection (a), the word "authority" is substituted for "officer" in recognition of the several appointing authorities named in section 2105(a)(1). The words "in the competitive service" have been added for clarity. Application of the section to the excepted service in the executive branch and to the government of the District of Columbia, as provided in former section 858, is carried into section 3320.

In subsection (b), the word "thereafter" is omitted as unnecessary.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

1979—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–54, §2(a)(14), substituted "Office of Personnel Management" for "Civil Service Commission".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–54, §2(a)(15), amended subsec. (b) in same manner as amendment by Pub. L. 95–454. See 1978 Amendment note set out below.

1978—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–454 which purported to amend section 3317b of this title by substituting "Office" for "Commission" was executed to subsec. (b) of this section as the probable intent of Congress.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XI, §1107(d), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2005, provided that:

"(1) In general.—The amendments made by this section [enacting this section and section 3318 of this title, amending sections 3319 and 3320 of this title, and repealing this section and section 3318 of this title] shall take effect on the date on which the Director of the Office of Personnel Management issues final regulations to implement sections 3317, 3318, and 3319 of title 5, United States Code, as amended or added by this section.

"(2) Regulations required.—The Director shall issue regulations under paragraph (1) not later than one year after the date of enactment of this section [Aug. 13, 2018]."

#### Effective Date of 1979 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–54 effective July 12, 1979, see section 2(b) of Pub. L. 96–54, set out as a note under section 305 of this title.

#### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–454 effective 90 days after Oct. 13, 1978, see section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.