OHR FACT SHEET: NON-COMPETITIVE HIRING AUTHORITIES

Background

Non-competitive hiring authorities allow a manager to fill a job quickly while still adhering to Merit System Principles, as 

established by law or Executive Order (EO). Non-competitive hiring authorities generally do not require a USAJOBS Job 

Opportunity Announcement (JOA) or a formal assessment process. These hiring authorities, when administered fairly, 

result in sound, merit-based selections.

Requirements

An HR Specialist must ensure that individuals selected meet all requirements of the position, including applicable 

qualification standards. Use of these hiring authorities may still be subject to clearance of relevant priority programs, 

bargaining unit obligations, and FSIS internal operating procedures. Unless regulations and policy guidance allow for it, 

you may not use these authorities for promotion actions.

Commonly Used Non-Competitive Hiring Authorities / Eligibilities

• Reassignment or Transfer – Current federal employee eligible for non-competitive placement. Employee previously 

held or currently holds a same grade or higher graded position on a permanent basis.

• Reinstatement Eligibles – Former federal employees who previously attained career status, former federal employees

with veteran’s preference who previously attained career-conditional status and former federal career-conditional 

employees who separated within the past three years are eligible for non-competitive placement. Employees must have 

formerly held the same grade or higher graded position on a permanent basis.

• Persons with Disabilities (Schedule A) – Individuals with a disability certified by a licensed medical professional, 

vocational rehabilitation specialist, or federal or state/DC agency providing disability benefits.

• 30% Disabled Veterans – Retired or separated active service members with a disability rating of 30% or more.

• Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) – Retired or separated active military service member who is in receipt of

a qualifying campaign badge or medal or is a recently separated veteran (within the last three years), and was separated

under honorable conditions. May be used for positions at the GS-11 or below.

• Certain Military Spouses (EO 13473/13832) – The spouse of a member of the armed forces on active duty, the spouse 

of a 100 percent disabled member of the armed forces, or the spouse of a deceased member of the armed forces. 

• Interchange Employees – Current employees (e.g. FAA employees) covered by interchange agreements.

• Experts and Consultants – Under certain circumstances, when professional or technical expertise is otherwise 

unavailable, an agency may non-competitively appoint experts and consultants to excepted service positions.

Employment of experts and consultants under 5 USC 3109 is temporary or intermittent, and not of a continuing nature.

• Returned Peace Corps or AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) – Individuals who served are

granted one year of eligibility (may be extended for two more years in specific situations), after qualifying service. A 

Peace Corps staff member has three years eligibility from the end date of employment with the Peace Corps.

How to Appoint a Non-Competitive Individual

If interested in using non-competitive hiring, contact your servicing HR Specialist. Your OHR contact will be able to 

share more information about how you might best use these flexible non-competitive hiring authorities.

Where to Find Additional Information

You can also visit OPM’s website: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/. This website provides 

frequently asked questions for HR Professionals and Hiring Managers, and more detailed information on the use of noncompetitive hiring authorities.