5 U.S.C. § 3301 (GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES)
§ 3301. Civil service; generally
The President may—
(1) prescribe such regulations for the admission of individuals into the civil service in the executive branch as will best promote the efficiency of that service;
(2) ascertain the fitness of applicants as to age, health, character, knowledge, and ability for the employment sought; and
(3) appoint and prescribe the duties of individuals to make inquiries for the purpose of this section.
(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 417.)
text: Historical and Revision Notes
Derivation
U.S. Code
Revised Statutes and
Statutes at Large
5 U.S.C. 631 (less last 16 words).
R.S. § 1753 (less last 16 words).
The words “civil service in the executive branch” are substituted for “civil service of the United States” to confirm the grant of authority in view of the definition of “civil service” in section 2101. The word “will” is substituted for “may”. The words “for the employment sought” are substituted for “for the branch of service into which he seeks to enter” as the latter are archaic since there are no “branches” within the executive branch. The word “applicant” is substituted for “candidate”.
Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.
heading: Short Title of 1998 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title I, § 151(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–611, provided that: “This section [enacting sections 3345 to 3349d of this title, repealing former sections 3345 to 3349 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 3345 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998’.”
heading: Short Title of 1991 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 102–175, § 1, Dec. 2, 1991, 105 Stat. 1222, provided that: “This Act [amending sections 3395, 3396, 5383, and 7701 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Senior Executive Service Improvements Act’.”
heading: Modifications to National Security Education Program
text: Pub. L. 107–296, title XIII, § 1332(a), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2299, provided that:
“(a) Findings and Policies.—
“(1) Findings.—
Congress finds that—
“(A) the United States Government actively encourages and financially supports the training, education, and development of many United States citizens;
“(B) as a condition of some of those supports, many of those citizens have an obligation to seek either compensated or uncompensated employment in the Federal sector; and
“(C) it is in the United States national interest to maximize the return to the Nation of funds invested in the development of such citizens by seeking to employ them in the Federal sector.
“(2) Policy.—
It shall be the policy of the United States Government to—
“(A) establish procedures for ensuring that United States citizens who have incurred service obligations as the result of receiving financial support for education and training from the United States Government and have applied for Federal positions are considered in all recruitment and hiring initiatives of Federal departments, bureaus, agencies, and offices; and
“(B) advertise and open all Federal positions to United States citizens who have incurred service obligations with the United States Government as the result of receiving financial support for education and training from the United States Government.”
heading: Temporary Measures To Facilitate Reemployment of Certain Displaced Federal Employees
text: Pub. L. 102–484, div. D, title XLIV, § 4432, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2720, directed executive agencies and the Department of Defense, in filling vacant positions, to give full consideration to the applications of certain individuals who became displaced employees before Oct. 1, 1997, before selecting any candidate from outside the agency for the position.
heading: National Advisory Council on the Public Service
text: Pub. L. 101–363, Aug. 14, 1990, 104 Stat. 424, provided that:
“SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
“This Act may be cited as the ‘National Advisory Council on the Public Service Act of 1990’.
“SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
“The Congress finds that—
“(1) recognition of the services rendered by Federal employees (hereinafter in this Act referred to as ‘national public service’) should be accorded a high and continuing place on the national agenda;
“(2) the National Commission on the Public Service, through its good works, has documented the need for greater advocacy on behalf of those performing national public service;
“(3) although public service is an honorable profession, members of the public do not always perceive it favorably;
“(4) serious obstacles often hinder the Government’s efforts to recruit and retain the best and the brightest for national public service;
“(5) just as the public has a right to expect Federal employees to adhere to the highest standards of excellence and ethicality, so Federal employees have a right to expect an atmosphere of trust and respect, and a sense of accomplishment from their work; and
“(6) an advisory council is needed to provide the President and the Congress with bipartisan, objective assessments of, and recommendations concerning, the Federal workforce.
“SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
“There shall be established a council to be known as the National Advisory Council on the Public Service (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘Council’).
“SEC. 4. FUNCTIONS.
“The Council shall—
“(1) regularly assess the state of the Federal workforce;
“(2) in conjunction with the President, the Congress, and the Judiciary, seek to attract individuals of the highest caliber to careers involving national public service, and encourage them and others of similar distinction who are already part of the Federal workforce to make a continuing commitment to national public service;
“(3) promote better public understanding of the role of Federal employees in implementing Government programs and policies, and otherwise seek to improve the public perception of Federal employees;
“(4) encourage efforts to build student interest in performing national public service (whether those efforts are undertaken at the community level, in the classroom, or otherwise); and
“(5) develop methods for improving motivation and excellence among Federal employees.
“SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
“(a) Number and Appointment.—
The Council shall be composed of 15 members as follows:
“(1) 2 Members of the Senate, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate and the other of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.
“(2) 2 Members of the House of Representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the other of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
“(3) The Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (or his delegate).
“(4) 10 individuals appointed by the President—
“(A) 4 of whom shall be chosen from among officers serving in the executive branch;
“(B) 1 of whom shall be chosen from among career employees in the civil service;
“(C) 1 of whom shall be a Federal employee who is a member of a labor organization (as defined by section 7103(a)(4) of title 5, United States Code); and
“(D) 4 of whom shall be chosen from among members of the public who do not hold any Government office or position.
“(b) Continuation of Membership.—
If any member of the Council whose appointment is based on that individual’s holding a Government office or position leaves such office or position, or if any member of the Council under subsection (a)(4)(D) is appointed or elected to a Government office or position, that individual may continue to serve as such a member for not longer than the 90-day period beginning on the date of leaving that office or position, or entering into that office or position, as the case may be.
“(c) Terms.—
Members of the Council shall be appointed for the life of the Council.
“(d) Vacancies.—
A vacancy in the Council shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
“(e) Compensation.—
(1) Members of the Council shall not be entitled to pay (or, in the case of members holding any Government office or position, pay in addition to any to which they are otherwise entitled for service in such office or position) by virtue of membership on the Council.
“(2) While serving away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of duties for the Council, members shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for persons employed intermittently in Government service.
“(f) Quorum.—
Eight members of the Council shall constitute a quorum.
“(g) Chairman.—
The Chairman of the Council shall be designated by the President from among the members appointed under subsection (a)(4)(D).
“(h) Meetings.—
The Council shall meet at the call of the Chairman or a majority of its members, and shall meet on at least a quarterly basis.
“SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.
“(a) Director.—
With the approval of the Council, the Chairman may appoint a Director and fix the pay of such Director at a rate not to exceed the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule [5 U.S.C. 5315]. The Director shall be a person who, by reason of demonstrated ability in the area of management, government, or public administration, is especially well qualified to serve.
“(b) Staff.—
With the approval of the Chairman, the Director may appoint and fix the pay of such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Council. The staff of the Council shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
“(c) Experts and Consultants.—
The Council may procure temporary or intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the maximum rate payable under the General Schedule.
“(d) Staff of Federal Agencies.—
Upon the request of the Chairman, the head of a Federal agency may detail, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, any personnel of such agency to the Council to assist the Council in carrying out its functions under this Act.
“SEC. 7. POWERS.
“(a) Mails.—
The Council may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal agencies.
“(b) Administrative Support Services.—
The Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Council, on a reimbursable basis, such administrative support services as the Council may request.
“(c) Official Data.—
The Council may secure directly from any Federal agency information necessary to carry out its functions under this Act. Each such agency is authorized and directed to furnish, to the extent permitted by law, any information requested by the Council.
“(d) Gifts.—
The Council—
“(1) may accept money and other property donated, bequeathed, or devised to the Council without condition or restriction (other than that it be used to carry out the work of the Council); and
“(2) may use, sell, or otherwise dispose of any such property to carry out its functions under this Act, except that, upon the termination of the Council, any such property shall be disposed of in accordance with applicable provisions of law governing the disposal of Federal property.
“SEC. 8. REPORTS.
“The Council shall transmit to the President and each House of the Congress—
“(1) within 1 and 2 years, respectively, after the date on which the Council first meets, reports containing its preliminary findings and recommendations; and
“(2) within 3 years after the date on which the Council first meets, a final report containing a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Council, together with its recommendations for such legislation or administrative actions as it considers appropriate.
“SEC. 9. COMMENCEMENT; TERMINATION.
“(a) Commencement.—
Appointments under section 5 shall be made, and the Council shall first meet, within 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 14, 1990].
“(b) Termination.—
The Council shall cease to exist upon transmitting its final report under section 8(2).
“SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION.
“There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.”
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 8743. Extending the Classified Civil Service
text: Ex. Ord. No. 8743, Apr. 23, 1941, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 9230, Aug. 20, 1942; Ex. Ord. No. 9678, Jan. 14, 1946; Ex. Ord. No. 9712, Apr. 13, 1946; Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, provided:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 1 of the act of November 26, 1940, entitled “Extending the Classified Executive Civil Service of the United States” (54 Stat. 1211), by the Civil Service Act (22 Stat. 403), and by section 1753 of the Revised Statutes of the United States [sections 3301 and 7301 of this title], it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. All offices and positions in the executive civil service of the United States except (1) those that are temporary, (2) those expressly excepted from the provisions of section 1 of the said act of November 26, 1940, (3) those excepted from the classified service under Schedules A and B of the Civil Service Rules, and (4) those which now have a classified status, are hereby covered into the classified civil service of the Government.
Section 2. Section 1 of this order shall become effective on January 1, 1942, except that as to positions affected thereby which are vacant at any time after June 30, 1941, and before January 1, 1942, it shall become effective when the vacancies first exist during such period, and appointments to such vacant positions shall be made in accordance with the Civil Service Rules as amended by section 3 of this order, unless prior express permission is given by the Office of Personnel Management for appointment without regard thereto.
Section 3. (a) Upon consideration of the report of the Committee on Civil Service Improvement (House Document No. 118, 77th Congress) appointed by Executive Order No. 8044 of January 31, 1939, it is hereby found and determined that the regulations and procedures hereinafter prescribed in this section with respect to attorney positions in the classified civil service are required by the conditions of good administration.
(b) There is hereby created in the Office of Personnel Management (hereinafter referred to as the Office) a board to be known as the Board of Legal Examiners (hereinafter referred to as the Board). The Board shall consist of the Solicitor General of the United States and the chief law officer of the Office of Personnel Management, as members ex officio, and nine members to be appointed by the President, four of whom shall be attorneys chosen from the chief officers of the Executive departments, agencies or corporate instrumentalities of the Government, two from the law-teaching profession, and three from attorneys engaged in private practice. The President shall designate the chairman of the Board. Five members shall constitute a quorum, and the Board may transact business notwithstanding vacancies thereon. Members of the Board shall receive no salary as such, but shall be entitled to necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
(c) It shall be the duty of the Board to promote the development of a merit system for the recruitment, selection, appointment, promotion, and transfer of attorneys in the classified civil service in accordance with the general procedures outlined in Plan A of the report of the Committee on Civil Service Improvement, appointed by Executive Order No. 8044 of January 31, 1939.
(d) The Board, in consultation with the Office, shall determine the regulations and procedures under this section governing the recruitment and examination of applicants for attorney positions, and the selection, appointment, promotion and transfer of attorneys, in the classified service.
(e) The Office shall in the manner determined by the Board establish a register or registers for attorney positions in the classified service and such positions shall thereafter be filled from such registers as are designated by the Board. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, any register so established shall not be in effect for a period longer than one year from the date of its establishment. Upon request of the Board, the Office shall appoint regional or local boards of examiners composed of persons approved by the Board, within or without the Federal service, to interview and examine applicants as the Board shall direct.
(f) The number of names to be placed upon any register of eligibles for attorney positions shall be limited to the number recommended by the Board; and such registers shall not be ranked according to the ratings received by the eligibles, except that persons entitled to veterans’ preference as defined in section 1 of Civil Service Rule VI shall be appropriately designated thereon.
(g) Any person whose name has been placed upon three registers of eligibles covering positions of the same grade, and who has not been appointed therefrom, shall not thereafter be eligible for placement upon any subsequently established register covering positions of such grade.
(h) So far as practicable and consistent with good administration, the eligibles on any register for attorney positions and appointments for such register shall be apportioned among the several States and Territories and the District of Columbia upon the basis of population as ascertained in the last preceding census. The Office shall certify to the appointing officer for each vacancy all the eligibles on the appropriate register except those whose appointment would, in the determination of the Board, be inconsistent with the apportionment policy herein prescribed. The appointing officer shall make selections for any vacancy or vacancies in attorney positions from the register so certified, with sole reference to merit and fitness.
(i) Any position affected by this section may be filled before appropriate registers have been established pursuant to this section only by a person whose appointment is approved by the Board. The Board may require as a condition of its approval that persons thus proposed for appointment pass a noncompetitive examination and may designate examining committees composed of persons within or without the Federal service to conduct such examinations. Persons whose appointment was approved by the Board prior to March 16, 1942, and who pass a noncompetitive examination prescribed by the Board shall be eligible for a classified civil-service status after the expiration of six months from the date of appointment upon compliance with the provisions of Section 6 of Civil Service Rule II other than those provisions relating to examination. Effective March 16, 1942, all appointments to attorney and law clerk (trainee) positions shall be for the duration of the present war and for six months thereafter unless specifically limited to a shorter period.
(j) The incumbent of any attorney position covered into the classified service by section 1 of this order may acquire a classified civil-service status in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(a) of the act of November 26, 1940 (54 Stat. 1211) or, in the discretion of the Board and when applicable, Section 6, of Civil Service Rule II: Provided, That the noncompetitive examination required thereunder shall be prescribed by the Office with the approval of the Board.
(k) The Office with the approval of the Board shall appoint a competent person to act as Executive Secretary to the Board; and the Office shall furnish such further professionals, clerical, stenographic, and other assistants as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
(l) The Civil Service Rules are hereby amended to the extent necessary to give effect to the provisions of this section.
Section 4. The noncompetitive examinations prescribed pursuant to sections 3 and 6 of this order and section 2(a) of the said act of November 26, 1940, shall, among other things, require any person taking such examination to meet such reasonable standards of physical fitness and personal suitability as the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe.
Section 5. Persons who on the effective date of section 1 of this order are on furlough or leave without pay from any position covered into the classified service by that section may be recalled to duty within one year of the date that they are furloughed or given leave without pay, and may be continued in such positions thereafter but shall not thereby acquire a classified civil-service status. If they are not recalled to duty within the time specified herein, they shall be separated from the service.
Section 6. (a) Any person who, in order to perform active service with the military or naval forces of the United States, has left a position (other than a temporary position) which is covered into the classified civil service under section 1 of this order, shall be reinstated in such position or to a position of like seniority, status, and pay in the same department or agency, and may, upon reinstatement, acquire a classified civil-service status: Provided, (1) that he has been honorably discharged from the military or naval service, (2) that he makes application for reinstatement within 90 days after termination of his service with the armed forces or of hospitalization continuing after discharge for a period of not more than one year, and (3) that he qualifies in such suitable noncompetitive examination as the Office may prescribe.
(b) Any person who, in order to perform active service with the military or naval forces of the United States, has left a position in any department or agency (other than a temporary position) which is covered into the classified civil service under section 1 of this order, may, upon his applications and upon the request of the head of the same or any other department or agency, be reinstated in any position for which the Office finds he is qualified, and upon reinstatement shall acquire a classified civil-service status: Provided, (1) that he has been honorably discharged from the military or naval service, and (2) that he qualifies in such suitable noncompetitive examination as the Office may prescribe.
Section 7. Executive Order No. 8044 of January 31, 1939, is hereby revoked so far as it applies to positions covered into the classified civil service by this order.
heading: Executive Order No. 9367
text: Ex. Ord. No. 9367, Aug. 4, 1943, 8 F.R. 11017, which prohibited, with certain exceptions, instructions of applicants for civil service and foreign service examinations by officers or employees of the government, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 11408, Apr. 25, 1968, 33 F.R. 6459.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 10577. Civil Service Rules
text: Ex. Ord. No. 10577, Nov. 22, 1954, 19 F.R. 7521, eff. Jan. 23, 1955, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 10675, Aug. 21, 1956, 21 F.R. 6327; Ex. Ord. No. 10745, Dec. 12, 1957, 22 F.R. 10025; Ex. Ord. No. 12107, § 2–101(a), Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, amended generally the Civil Service Rules, provided for transition from the indefinite appointment system to the career-conditional appointment system, and revoked Ex. Ord. No. 9830, Feb. 24, 1947, 12 F.R. 1259; Ex. Ord. No. 9973, June 28, 1948, 13 F.R. 3600; Ex. Ord. No. 10180, Nov. 13, 1950, 15 F.R. 7745; Ex. Ord. No. 10440, Mar. 31, 1953, 18 F.R. 1823; and Ex. Ord. No. 10463, June 25, 1953, 18 F.R. 3655. The Civil Service Rules are set out in Parts 1 to 10 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations. The Civil Service Rules were also amended by the following Executive Orders:
Ex. Ord. No. 10641, Oct. 26, 1955, 20 F.R. 8137, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, § 2–101(a), Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055.
Ex. Ord. No. 10869, Mar. 9, 1960, 25 F.R. 2073.
Ex. Ord. No. 11315, Nov. 17, 1966, 31 F.R. 14729, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, § 2–101(a), Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055.
Ex. Ord. No. 11839, Feb. 15, 1975, 40 F.R. 7351.
Ex. Ord. No. 11856, May 7, 1975, 40 F.R. 20259.
Ex. Ord. No. 11887, Nov. 4, 1975, 40 F.R. 51411.
Ex. Ord. No. 11935, Sept. 2, 1976, 41 F.R. 37301, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, § 2–101(a), Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055.
Ex. Ord. No. 12021, Nov. 30, 1977, 42 F.R. 61237.
Ex. Ord. No. 12043, Mar. 7, 1978, 43 F.R. 9773, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, § 2–101(a), Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055.
Ex. Ord. No. 12125, Mar. 15, 1979, 44 F.R. 16879.
Ex. Ord. No. 12148, § 5–212, July 20, 1979, 44 F.R. 43239, set out in a note under section 5195 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
Ex. Ord. No. 12300, Mar. 23, 1981, 46 F.R. 18683, which was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 12940, Nov. 28, 1994, 59 F.R. 61519.
Ex. Ord. No. 12748, § 8(a), Feb. 1, 1991, 56 F.R. 4521, set out as a note under section 5301 of this title.
Ex. Ord. No. 12896, Feb. 3, 1994, 59 F.R. 5515.
Ex. Ord. No. 12940, Nov. 28, 1994, 59 F.R. 61519.
Ex. Ord. No. 13124, § 2(b), June 4, 1999, 64 F.R. 31103.
Ex. Ord. No. 13197, Jan. 18, 2001, 66 F.R. 7853.
heading: Executive Order No. 10590
text: Ex. Ord. No. 10590, Jan. 18, 1955, 20 F.R. 409, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 10722, Aug. 7, 1957, 22 F.R. 6287; Ex. Ord. No. 10773, July 1, 1958, 23 F.R. 5061; Ex. Ord. No. 10782, Sept. 8, 1958, 23 F.R. 6971, which established the President’s Committee on Government Employment Policy, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11246, Sept. 24, 1965, 30 F.R. 12319, set out as a note under section 2000e of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
heading: Executive Order No. 10880
text: Ex. Ord. No. 10880, June 7, 1960, 25 F.R. 5131, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, which provided for conversion of indefinite or temporary appointments to career or career-conditional appointments, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12608, Sept. 9, 1987, 52 F.R. 34617.
heading: Executive Order No. 10925
text: Ex. Ord. No. 10925, Mar. 7, 1961, 26 F.R. 1977, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 11114, June 24, 1963, 28 F.R. 6485; Ex. Ord. No. 11162, July 28, 1964, 29 F.R. 10563, which established the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11246, Sept. 24, 1965, 30 F.R. 12319, set out as a note under section 2000e of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
heading: Executive Order No. 11114
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11114, June 24, 1963, 28 F.R. 6485, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 11162, July 28, 1964, 29 F.R. 10563, which extended the authority of the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11246, Sept. 24, 1965, 30 F.R. 12319, set out as a note under section 2000e of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 11141. Discrimination on the Basis of Age
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11141, Feb. 12, 1964, 29 F.R. 2477, provided:
WHEREAS the principle of equal employment opportunity is now an established policy of our Government and applies equally to all who wish to work and are capable of doing so; and
WHEREAS discrimination in employment because of age, except upon the basis of a bona fide occupational qualification, retirement plan, or statutory requirement, is inconsistent with that principle and with the social and economic objectives of our society; and
WHEREAS older workers are an indispensable source of productivity and experience which our Nation can ill afford to lose; and
WHEREAS President Kennedy, mindful that maximum national growth depends on the utilization of all manpower resources, issued a memorandum on March 14, 1963, reaffirming the policy of the Executive Branch of the Government of hiring and promoting employees on the basis of merit alone and emphasizing the need to assure that older people are not discriminated against because of their age and receive fair and full consideration for employment and advancement in Federal employment; and
WHEREAS, to encourage and hasten the acceptance of the principle of equal employment opportunity for older persons by all sectors of the economy, private and public, the Federal Government can and should provide maximum leadership in this regard by adopting that principle as an express policy of the Federal Government not only with respect to Federal employees but also with respect to persons employed by contractors and subcontractors engaged in the performance of Federal contracts:
NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the United States and as President of the United States, I hereby declare that it is the policy of the Executive Branch of the Government that (1) contractors and subcontractors engaged in the performance of Federal contracts shall not, in connection with the employment, advancement, or discharge of employees, or in connection with the terms, conditions, or privileges of their employment, discriminate against persons because of their age except upon the basis of a bona fide occupational qualification, retirement plan, or statutory requirement, and (2) that contractors and subcontractors, or persons acting on their behalf, shall not specify, in solicitations or advertisements for employees to work on Government contracts, a maximum age limit for such employment unless the specified maximum age limit is based upon a bona fide occupational qualification, retirement plan, or statutory requirement. The head of each department and agency shall take appropriate action to enunciate this policy, and to this end the Federal Procurement Regulations and the Armed Services Procurement Regulation shall be amended by the insertion therein of a statement giving continuous notice of the existence of the policy declared by this order.
Lyndon B. Johnson.
heading: Executive Order No. 11162
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11162, July 28, 1964, 29 F.R. 10563, which related to membership of the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11246, Sept. 24, 1965, 30 F.R. 12319, set out as a note under section 2000e of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
heading: Executive Order No. 11202
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11202, Mar. 5, 1965, 30 F.R. 3185, which established career or career-conditional appointments for student trainees, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 11813, Oct. 7, 1974, 39 F.R. 36317, formerly set out below.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 11203. Career Appointments to Certain Qualified Employees of Treasury Department
text: Ex. Ord No. 11203, Mar. 12, 1965; 30 F.R. 3417, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, provided:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 2 of the Civil Service Act (22 Stat. 403) and Section 1753 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (5 U.S.C. 631) [sections 3301 and 7301 of this title] and as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows—
Section 1. Any employee of the Treasury Department serving under an appointment under Schedule B of the Civil Service Rules in a position concerned with the protection of the life and safety of the President, members of his immediate family, or other persons for whom similar protective services are provided by law (which responsibility is hereinafter referred to as the protective function) may have his appointment converted to a career appointment if:
(1) he has completed at least three years of full-time continuous service in a position concerned with the protective function;
(2) The Secretary of the Treasury, or his designee, recommends the conversion of the employee’s appointment within 90 days after the employee meets the service requirements of this section, or within 90 days after the date of this Order, whichever is later;
(3) he shall have passed a competitive examination appropriate for the position he is occupying or meets noncompetitive examination standards the Office of Personnel Management prescribes for his position; and
(4) he meets all other requirements prescribed by the Office pursuant to Section 5 of this Order.
Sec. 2. For the purposes of Section 1—
(1) “full-time continuous service” means service without a break of more than 30 calendar days;
(2) except as provided in paragraph (3) of this section, active service in the Armed Forces of the United States shall be deemed to be full-time continuous service in a position concerned with the protective function if the employee concerned shall have left a position concerned with the protective function to enter the Armed Forces and shall have been re-employed in a position concerned with the protective function within 120 days after he shall have been discharged from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions; and
(3) active service in the Armed Forces shall not be deemed to be full-time continuous service in a position concerned with the protective function if such active service exceeds a total of four years plus any period of additional service imposed pursuant to law.
Sec. 3. Any employee who shall have left a position concerned with the protective function to enter active service in the Armed Forces of the United States, who is re-employed in such a position within 120 days after his discharge under honorable conditions from such service, and who meets the requirements of Section 1 as the result of being credited with his period of active service in the Armed Forces pursuant to Section 2(2), may have his appointment converted if the Secretary of the Treasury or his designee, recommends that conversion within 90 days after his re-employment.
Sec. 4. Whenever the Secretary of the Treasury, or his designee, decides not to recommend conversion of the appointment of an employee under this Order or whenever the Secretary, or his designee, recommends conversion and the employee fails to qualify, the employee shall be separated by the date on which his current Schedule B appointment expires.
Sec. 5. The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Order.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 11219. Appointment in Competitive Service of Foreign Service Officers and Employees
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11219, May 6, 1965, 30 F.R. 6381, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055; Ex. Ord. No. 12292, Feb. 23, 1981, 46 F.R. 13967, provided:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 1753 of the Revised Statutes [sections 3301 and 7301 of this title] and the Civil Service Act (22 Stat. 403), and as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Under regulations and conditions prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, a present or former member of the Foreign Service may be appointed in the competitive service if he:
(a) Is qualified for the position in the competitive service;
(b) Was appointed in the Foreign Service under authority of the Foreign Service Act of 1946 as amended [former section 801 et seq. of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse], the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [section 3901 et seq. of Title 22], or legislation that supplements or replaces the latter Act;
(c) Served in the Foreign Service under an unlimited, career-type appointment and, immediately before his separation from that appointment, he completed at least one year of continuous service under one or more nontemporary appointments in the Foreign Service which may include the service that made him eligible for his career-type appointment; and
(d) Is appointed within 3 years after his separation from the Foreign Service, or he completed at least 3 years of substantially continuous service under one or more nontemporary appointments in the Foreign Service immediately before his separation from the unlimited, career-type appointment in that Service which may include the service that made him eligible for such appointment, or he is entitled to preference under section 2 of the Veterans’ Preference Act of 1944, as amended [sections 1302 and 2108 of this title].
Sec. 2. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a person appointed under Section 1 of this Order becomes a career conditional employee.
(b) A person appointed under Section 1 of this Order becomes a career employee when he:
(1) Has completed at least 3 years of substantially continuous service under one or more nontemporary appointments in the Foreign Service immediately before his separation from the unlimited, career-type appointment in that Service which may include the service that made him eligible for such appointment;
(2) Is appointed to a position in the competitive service required by law or Executive order to be filled on a permanent or career basis; or
(3) Has completed the service requirement for career tenure in the competitive service.
For the purpose of subparagraph (3) of this paragraph, service in the Foreign Service is creditable in meeting the service requirement only if the person concerned is appointed to a nontemporary position in the competitive service under Section 1 of this Order within 30 days after his separation from the Foreign Service.
Sec. 3. A person appointed to a nontemporary position in the competitive service under Section 1 of this Order acquires a competitive status automatically on appointment.
Sec. 4. Any law, Executive order, or regulation that would disqualify an applicant for appointment in the competitive service shall also disqualify a person for appointment under Section 1 of this Order.
Sec. 5. For the purpose of this Order, a person is deemed to be a member of the “Foreign Service” if he was appointed in any agency under authority of the Foreign Service Act of 1946, as amended [former section 801 et seq. of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse], the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [section 3901 et seq. of Title 22], or legislation that supplements or replaces the latter Act.
heading: Executive Order No. 11315
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11315, Nov. 17, 1966, 31 F.R. 14729, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, § 2–101(a), Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, added Civil Service Rule IX and amended Civil Service Rule VI, provided for transition to the full establishment of executive assignments under Rule IX, and delegated responsibility for the administration of the executive assignment system established by this Order to the Office of Personnel Management and heads of agencies affected by Rule IX. Civil Service Rule IX, as established by this Order, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12748, § 8(a), Feb. 1, 1991, 56 F.R. 4521, set out under section 5301 of this title.
heading: Executive Order No. 11598
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11598, June 16, 1971, 36 F.R. 11711, formerly set out as a note under this section, which related to the listing of certain job vacancies by federal agencies and government contractors and subcontractors, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 11701, Jan. 24, 1973, 38 F.R. 2675, set out as a note under section 4212 of Title 38, Veterans’ Benefits.
heading: Executive Order No. 11813
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11813, Oct. 7, 1974, 39 F.R. 36317, which related to career or career-conditional appointments for cooperative education students, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12015, Oct. 26, 1977, 42 F.R. 56947, formerly set out below.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 11955. Career or Career-Conditional Appointment to Certain Qualified Employees of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
text: Ex. Ord. No. 11955, Jan. 10, 1977, 42 F.R. 2499, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, provided:
By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 3301 of title 5 of the United States Code [this section], and as President of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. The appointment of a Command Pilot, Pilot or Mission Specialist candidate to a position in the Space Shuttle Astronaut Program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which is listed under Schedule B of the Schedule of Excepted Positions, may be converted to career or career-conditional appointment if:
(a) the candidate has successfully completed two years of service as a candidate in an appropriate training program;
(b) the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or the Administrator’s designee, recommends the conversion of the candidate’s appointment within ninety days of completion of the requirements of section 1(a);
(c) the candidate meets noncompetitive examination standards prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management; and
(d) the candidate meets all other requirements prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management pursuant to section 3 of this order.
Sec. 2. Whenever the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or the Administrator’s designee, decides not to recommend conversion of an appointment under this order or whenever the Administrator, or the Administrator’s designee, recommends conversion and the candidate fails to qualify, the candidate shall be separated not later than the date of expiration of the current Schedule B appointment, unless the appointment can be converted through appropriate competitive examination or the candidate can be assigned to a suitable position under another excepted authority prior to the expiration date.
Sec. 3. The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this order.
heading: Executive Order No. 12008
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12008, Aug. 25, 1977, 42 F.R. 43373, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055, which established a Presidential Management Intern Program, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12364, May 24, 1982, 47 F.R. 22931, formerly set out below.
heading: Executive Order No. 12015
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12015, Oct. 26, 1977, 42 F.R. 56947, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055; Ex. Ord. No. 13024, Nov. 7, 1996, 61 F.R. 58125, which related to career or career-conditional appointments in competitive service for students completing approved career-related work-study programs, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 13562, § 8(b), Dec. 27, 2010, 75 F.R. 82588, set out below, on the effective date of final regulations promulgated by the Director of OPM to implement the Internship Program [July 10, 2012, see 77 F.R. 28194].
heading: Executive Order No. 12026
text: For provisions relating to eligibility for reinstatement in the competitive civil service of certain employees of the Energy Department, see Ex. Ord. No. 12026, Dec. 5, 1977, 42 F.R. 61849, set out as a note under section 7292 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
heading: Executive Order No. 12257
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12257, Dec. 18, 1980, 45 F.R. 84005, which provided for noncompetitive conversion of participants in the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act program to career or career-conditional Civil Service status, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12553, Feb. 25, 1986, 51 F.R. 7237.
heading: Executive Order No. 12362
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12362, May 12, 1982, 47 F.R. 21231, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12585, Mar. 3, 1987, 52 F.R. 6773, which related to appointment to competitive status of certain overseas employees upon return to the United States, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12721, July 30, 1990, 55 F.R. 31349, set out below.
heading: Executive Order No. 12364
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12364, May 24, 1982, 47 F.R. 22931, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12645, July 12, 1988, 53 F.R. 26750, which related to the Presidential Management Intern Program, was superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 13318, Nov. 21, 2003, 68 F.R. 66317, formerly set out below.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 12505. Career Appointments to Certain Office of Management and Budget Employees
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12505, Feb. 12, 1985, 50 F.R. 6151, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the laws of the United States of America, including Section 3301 and 3302 of Title 5, and Section 521 of Title 31 of the United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. No later than April 1, 1985, any employee of the Office of Management and Budget serving under an appointment under Schedule A in a position not limited to one year or less, concerned with implementation of the President’s paperwork reduction and regulatory review and planning programs, may have his or her appointment converted to a career or career-conditional appointment if the Director of the Office of Management and Budget determines that:
(a) The employee has completed at least one year of full-time continuous service in a position concerned with the paperwork reduction and regulatory program;
(b) There is a continuing need for the position filled by the employee;
(c) The employee’s past performance has been satisfactory and the employee possesses the qualifications necessary to continue in the position; and
(d) The employee meets the citizenship requirements and qualification standards appropriate for the position.
Sec. 2. If the Director determines not to convert an employee’s appointment to career or career-conditional status under the preceding Section, the employee shall be separated not later than the date of expiration of the current appointment.
Sec. 3. Employees whose appointments are converted under this Order shall become career-conditional employees, or career employees if they have completed the service requirements for career tenure, and all converted employees shall acquire a competitive status.
Ronald Reagan.
heading: Executive Order No. 12596
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12596, May 7, 1987, 52 F.R. 17537, which provided for noncompetitive conversion to career status of certain employees in professional and administrative career positions, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 13162, July 6, 2000, 65 F.R. 43212, set out as a note below.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 12685. Noncompetitive Conversion of Personal Assistants to Employees With Disabilities
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12685, July 28, 1989, 54 F.R. 31796, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301 and 3302 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Upon recommendation by the employing agency, and subject to qualifications and other requirements prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, an employee in a position in the excepted service under 5 C.F.R. 213.3102(11) as a reader, interpreter, or personal assistant for a handicapped employee, whose employment in such position is no longer necessary and who has completed at least 1 year of satisfactory service in such position under a non-temporary appointment, may be converted noncompetitively to a career or career-conditional appointment.
Sec. 2. This order shall be effective upon publication in the Federal Register.
George Bush.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 12718. President’s Advisory Commission on the Public Service
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12718, June 29, 1990, 55 F.R. 27451, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), and in order to provide a continuing source of advice on the public service from outstanding leaders in various walks of private life, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Establishment. The President’s Advisory Commission on the Public Service (“Commission”) is hereby established. The Commission shall be comprised of 13 members to be appointed by the President from among leading citizens in private life. The members shall be appointed for 2-year terms, except that initial appointments shall include six members appointed to serve 1-year terms. Any vacancy in the Commission shall be filled by an appointment for the remainder of the term for which the original appointment was made, and a member whose term has expired may serve until his or her successor has been appointed. The President shall designate one of the members of the Commission to serve as Chairperson.
Sec. 2. Functions. (a) The Commission shall meet from time to time at the request of the Chairperson and shall consider ways to enhance the public service in American life, including:
(1) improving the efficiency and attractiveness of the Federal civil service;
(2) increasing the interest among American students in pursuing careers in the public service; and
(3) strengthening the image of the public service in American life.
(b) The Commission shall submit a report on its activities to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and the President each year.
Sec. 3. Administrative Provisions. (a) The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but may receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(b) All executive agencies are directed, to the extent permitted by law, to provide such information, advice, and assistance to the Commission as the Commission may request.
(c) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of funds, provide the Commission with administrative services, staff support, and necessary expenses.
Sec. 4. General. Notwithstanding any other Executive order, the functions of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended [5 U.S.C. App.], except that of reporting to the Congress, which are applicable to the Commission, shall be performed by the Office of Personnel Management in accordance with the guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services.
George Bush.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 12721. Eligibility of Overseas Employees for Noncompetitive Appointments
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12721, July 30, 1990, 55 F.R. 31349, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301 and 3302 of title 5 and section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, and in order to permit certain overseas employees to acquire competitive status upon returning to the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. A United States citizen who is a family member of a Federal civilian employee, of a nonappropriated fund employee, or of a member of a uniformed service and who meets the qualifications and other requirements established by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, including an appropriate period of satisfactory service under one or more overseas appointments in the excepted or competitive civil service, may be appointed noncompetitively to a competitive service position in the executive branch within the United States (including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands). The employing agency in the United States may waive a requirement for a written test for an individual appointed under this order if the agency determines that the duties and responsibilities of the position occupied overseas were similar enough to those of the position to which the individual is being appointed under this order to make the written test unnecessary.
Sec. 2. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement this order.
Sec. 3. To the extent there is any conflict between this order and Civil Service Rule 8.2 (5 CFR 8.2), the provisions of this order shall control.
Sec. 4. (a) Executive Order No. 12362 of May 12, 1982, as amended, and Executive Order No. 12585 of March 3, 1987, are revoked.
(b) Existing regulations prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management under Executive Order No. 12362, as amended, shall continue in effect until modified or superseded by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
Sec. 5. This order shall be effective upon publication in the Federal Register.
George Bush.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13124. Amending the Civil Service Rules Relating To Federal Employees With Psychiatric Disabilities
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13124, June 4, 1999, 64 F.R. 31103, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301 and 3302 of title 5, United States Code, and in order to give individuals with psychiatric disabilities the same hiring opportunities as persons with severe physical disabilities or mental retardation under the Civil Service Rules, and to permit individuals with psychiatric disabilities to obtain Civil Service competitive status, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy.
(a) It is the policy of the United States to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for persons with disabilities. The Federal Government as an employer should serve as a model for the employment of persons with disabilities and utilize the full potential of these talented citizens.
(b) The Civil Service Rules governing appointment of persons with psychiatric disabilities were adopted years ago when attitudes about mental illness were different than they are today, which led to stricter standards for hiring persons with psychiatric disabilities than for persons with mental retardation or severe physical disabilities. The Civil Service Rules provide that persons with mental retardation, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities may be hired under excepted appointing authorities. While persons with mental retardation or severe physical disabilities may be appointed for more than 2 years and may convert to competitive status after completion of 2 years of satisfactory service in their excepted position, people with psychiatric disabilities may not.
(c) The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the President’s Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities believe that the Federal Government could better benefit from the contributions of persons with psychiatric disabilities if they were given the same opportunities available to people with mental retardation or severe physical disabilities.
Sec. 2. Implementation.
(a) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall, consistent with OPM authority, provide that persons with psychiatric disabilities are subject to the same hiring rules as persons with mental retardation or severe physical disabilities.
(b) [Amended Civil Service Rule III.]
Sec. 3. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement this order.
William J. Clinton.
heading: Executive Order No. 13162
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13162, July 6, 2000, 65 F.R. 43211, which established the Federal Career Intern Program and provided for its oversight by the Office of Personnel Management, was revoked, effective Mar. 1, 2011, by Ex. Ord. No. 13562, § 8(a), Dec. 27, 2010, 75 F.R. 82588, set out as a note below.
heading: Executive Order No. 13318
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13318, Nov. 21, 2003, 68 F.R. 66317, which related to the Presidential Management Fellows Program, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 13562, § 8(c), Dec. 27, 2010, 75 F.R. 82588, set out below, on the effective date of final regulations promulgated by the Director of OPM to implement required changes to the PMF Program [July 10, 2012, see 77 F.R. 28194].
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13473. To Authorize Certain Noncompetitive Appointments in the Civil Service for Spouses of Certain Members of the Armed Forces
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13473, Sept. 25, 2008, 73 F.R. 56703, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301 and 3302 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It shall be the policy of the United States to provide for the appropriately expedited recruitment and selection of spouses of members of the Armed Forces for appointment to positions in the competitive service of the Federal civil service as part of the effort of the United States to recruit and retain in military service, skilled and experienced members of the Armed Forces and to recognize and honor the service of such members injured, disabled, or killed in connection with their service.
Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this order:
(a) the term “agency” has the meaning specified for the term “executive agency” in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, but does not include the Government Accountability Office;
(b) the term “Armed Forces” has the meaning specified for that term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code;
(c) the term “active duty” means full-time duty in an armed force and includes full-time National Guard duty, except that, for Reserve Component members, the term “active duty” does not include training duties or attendance at service schools.
(d) the term “permanent change of station” means the assignment, detail, or transfer of a member of the Armed Forces serving at a present permanent duty station to a different permanent duty station under a competent authorization or order that does not:
(i) specify the duty as temporary;
(ii) provide for assignment, detail, or transfer, after that different permanent duty station, to a further different permanent duty station; or (iii) [sic] direct return to the present permanent duty station; and
(e) the term “totally disabled retired or separated member” means a member of the Armed Forces who:
(i) retired under chapter 61 of title 10, United States Code, with a disability rating at the time of retirement of 100 per cent; or (ii) [sic] retired or separated from the Armed Forces and has a disability rating of 100 percent from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 3. Noncompetitive Appointment Authority. Consistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order and such regulations as the Director of the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe, the head of an agency may make a noncompetitive appointment to any position in the competitive service, for which the individual is qualified, of an individual who is:
(a) the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, is performing active duty pursuant to orders that authorize a permanent change of station move, if such spouse relocates to the member’s new permanent duty station;
(b) the spouse of a totally disabled retired or separated member of the Armed Forces; or
(c) the unremarried widow or widower of a member of the Armed Forces killed while performing active duty.
Sec. 4. Administrative Provisions. The heads of agencies shall employ, as appropriate, appointment authority available to them, in addition to the authority granted by section 3 of this order, to carry out the policy set forth in section 1.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) authority granted by law to a department or agency or the head thereof; and
(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budget, administrative, or legislative functions.
(b) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
George W. Bush.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13518. Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13518, Nov. 9, 2009, 74 F.R. 58533, provided:
By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, I hereby order as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Veterans have served and sacrificed in defense of our Nation. When they complete their service, we must do everything in our power to assist them in re-entering civilian life and finding employment. Government as well as private employers should play a prominent role in helping veterans who may be struggling to find jobs. As one of the Nation’s leading employers, the Federal Government is in need of highly skilled individuals to meet agency staffing needs and to support mission objectives. Our veterans, who have benefited from training and development during their military service, possess a wide variety of skills and experiences, as well as the motivation for public service, that will help fulfill Federal agencies’ staffing needs. It is therefore the policy of my Administration to enhance recruitment of and promote employment opportunities for veterans within the executive branch, consistent with merit system principles and veterans’ preferences prescribed by law. The Federal Government will thereby help lead by example in promoting veterans’ employment.
Sec. 2. Council on Veterans Employment. There is hereby established an interagency Council on Veterans Employment (Council), to be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) shall serve as Vice Chair of the Council.
(a) Mission and Function of the Council. The Council shall:
(i) advise and assist the President and the Director of OPM in establishing a coordinated Government-wide effort to increase the number of veterans employed by the Federal Government by enhancing recruitment and training;
(ii) serve as a national forum for promoting veterans’ employment opportunities in the executive branch; and
(iii) establish performance measures to assess the effectiveness of, and submit an annual report to the President on the status of, the Veterans Employment Initiative described in section 3 of this order.
(b) Membership of the Council. The Council shall consist of the heads of the following agencies and such other executive branch agencies as the President may designate:
(i) the Department of State;
(ii) the Department of the Treasury;
(iii) the Department of Defense;
(iv) the Department of Justice;
(v) the Department of the Interior;
(vi) the Department of Agriculture;
(vii) the Department of Commerce;
(viii) the Department of Labor;
(ix) the Department of Health and Human Services;
(x) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
(xi) the Department of Transportation;
(xii) the Department of Energy;
(xiii) the Department of Education;
(xiv) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(xv) the Department of Homeland Security;
(xvi) the Environmental Protection Agency;
(xvii) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
(xviii) the Agency for International Development;
(xix) the General Services Administration;
(xx) the National Science Foundation;
(xxi) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission;
(xxii) the Office of Personnel Management;
(xxiii) the Small Business Administration; and
(xxiv) the Social Security Administration.
A member of the Council may designate, to perform the Council functions of the member, a senior official who is part of the member’s agency, and who is a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government.
(c) Administration of the Council. The Co-Chairs shall convene meetings of the Council, determine its agenda, and direct its work. At the direction of the Co-Chairs, the Council may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Council members or their designees, as appropriate. The Vice Chair shall designate an Executive Director for the Council to support the Vice Chair in managing the Council’s activities. The OPM shall provide administrative support for the Council to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations.
(d) Steering Committee. There is established within the Council a Steering Committee consisting of the Secretaries of Defense, Labor, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security, the Director of OPM, and any other Council member designated by the Co-Chairs. The Steering Committee shall be responsible for providing leadership, accountability, and strategic direction to the Council.
Sec. 3. Veterans Employment Initiative. The agencies represented on the Council shall participate in a Veterans Employment Initiative (Initiative). Under the Initiative, each participating agency shall, to the extent permitted by law:
(a) develop an agency-specific Operational Plan for promoting employment opportunities for veterans, consistent with the Government-wide Veterans Recruitment and Employment Strategic Plan described in section 4 of this order, merit system principles, the agency’s strategic human capital plan, and other applicable workforce planning strategies and initiatives;
(b) within 120 days of the date of this order, establish a Veterans Employment Program Office, or designate an agency officer or employee with full-time responsibility for its Veterans Employment Program, to be responsible for enhancing employment opportunities for veterans within the agency, consistent with law and merit system principles, including developing and implementing the agency’s Operational Plan, veterans recruitment programs, and training programs for veterans with disabilities, and for coordinating employment counseling to help match the career aspirations of veterans to the needs of the agency;
(c) provide mandatory annual training to agency human resources personnel and hiring managers concerning veterans’ employment, including training on veterans’ preferences and special authorities for the hiring of veterans;
(d) identify key occupations for which the agency will provide job counseling and training to better enable veterans to meet agency staffing needs associated with those occupations; and
(e) coordinate with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to promote further development and application of technology designed to assist transitioning service members and veterans with disabilities.
Sec. 4. Additional Responsibilities of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management. The Director of OPM shall, in consultation with the Council and to the extent permitted by law:
(a) develop a Government-wide Veterans Recruitment and Employment Strategic Plan, to be updated at least every 3 years, addressing barriers to the employment of veterans in the executive branch and focusing on:
(i) identifying actions that agency leaders should take to improve employment opportunities for veterans;
(ii) developing the skills of transitioning military service members and veterans;
(iii) marketing the Federal Government as an employer of choice to transitioning service members and veterans;
(iv) marketing the talent, experience, and dedication of transitioning service members and veterans to Federal agencies; and
(v) disseminating Federal employment information to veterans and hiring officials;
(b) provide Government-wide leadership in recruitment and employment of veterans in the executive branch;
(c) identify key occupations, focusing on positions in high-demand occupations where talent is needed to meet Government-wide staffing needs, for which the Federal Government will provide job counseling and training under section 5(a) of this order to veterans and transitioning military service personnel;
(d) develop mandatory training for both human resources personnel and hiring managers on veterans’ employment, including veterans’ preference and special hiring authorities;
(e) compile and post on the OPM website Government-wide statistics on the hiring of veterans; and
(f) within 1 year of the date of this order and with the advice of the Council, provide recommendations to the President on improving the ability of veterans’ preference laws to meet the needs of the new generation of veterans, especially those transitioning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the needs of Federal hiring officials.
Sec. 5. Responsibilities of the Secretaries of Defense, Labor, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security. The Secretaries of Defense, Labor, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security shall take the following actions, to the extent permitted by law:
(a) The Secretaries of Defense, Labor, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security shall, in consultation with OPM, develop and implement counseling and training programs to align veterans’ and transitioning service members’ skills and career aspirations to Federal employment opportunities, targeting Federal occupations that are projected to have heavy recruitment needs.
(b) The Secretary of Labor shall conduct employment workshops for veterans and transitioning military service personnel as part of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), and integrate in those workshops information about the Federal hiring process, veterans’ preference laws, special hiring authorities, and Federal job opportunities.
(c) The Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to the Coast Guard) shall:
(i) reinforce military leadership’s commitment and support of the service members’ transition process; and
(ii) institute policies that encourage every eligible service member to take the opportunity to enroll in any or all of the four components of the TAP.
(d) The Secretaries of Labor and Veterans Affairs shall:
(i) assist veterans and transitioning service members in translating military skills, training, and education to Federal occupations through programs developed under subsection (a) of this section; and
(ii) provide training to employment and rehabilitation counselors on the Federal hiring process, veterans’ preferences, special hiring authorities, and identifying Federal employment opportunities for veterans.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) authority granted by law to a department or agency or the head thereof; or
(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Barack Obama.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13562. Recruiting and Hiring Students and Recent Graduates
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13562, Dec. 27, 2010, 75 F.R. 82585, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301 and 3302 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The Federal Government benefits from a diverse workforce that includes students and recent graduates, who infuse the workplace with their enthusiasm, talents, and unique perspectives. The existing competitive hiring process for the Federal civil service, however, is structured in a manner that, even at the entry level, favors job applicants who have significant previous work experience. This structure, along with the complexity of the rules governing admission to the career civil service, creates a barrier to recruiting and hiring students and recent graduates. It places the Federal Government at a competitive disadvantage compared to private-sector employers when it comes to hiring qualified applicants for entry-level positions.
To compete effectively for students and recent graduates, the Federal Government must improve its recruiting efforts; offer clear paths to Federal internships for students from high school through post-graduate school; offer clear paths to civil service careers for recent graduates; and provide meaningful training, mentoring, and career-development opportunities. Further, exposing students and recent graduates to Federal jobs through internships and similar programs attracts them to careers in the Federal Government and enables agency employers to evaluate them on the job to determine whether they are likely to have successful careers in Government.
Accordingly, pursuant to my authority under 5 U.S.C. 3302(1), and in order to achieve a workforce that represents all segments of society as provided in 5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(1), I find that conditions of good administration (specifically, the need to promote employment opportunities for students and recent graduates in the Federal workforce) make necessary an exception to the competitive hiring rules for certain positions in the Federal civil service.
Sec. 2. Establishment. There are hereby established the Internship Program and the Recent Graduates Program, which, along with the Presidential Management Fellows Program, as modified herein, shall collectively be known as the Pathways Programs. I therefore direct the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to issue regulations implementing the Pathways Programs consistent with this order, including:
(a) a description of the positions that executive departments and agencies (agencies) may fill through the Pathways Programs because conditions of good administration necessitate excepting those positions from the competitive hiring rules;
(b) rules governing whether, to what extent, and in what manner public notice should be provided of job opportunities in the Pathways Programs;
(c) a description of career-development, training, and mentorship opportunities for participants in the Pathways Programs;
(d) requirements that managers meaningfully assess the performance of participants in the Pathways Programs to identify those who should be considered for conversion to career civil service positions;
(e) a description of OPM oversight of agency use of the Pathways Programs to ensure that (i) they serve as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the competitive hiring process, and (ii) agencies are using the Pathways Programs in a genuine effort to develop talent for careers in the civil service;
(f) a description of OPM plans to evaluate agencies’ effectiveness in recruiting and retaining talent using the Pathways Programs and of the satisfaction of Pathways Programs participants and their hiring managers; and
(g) standard naming conventions across agencies, so that students and recent graduates can clearly understand and compare the career pathway opportunities available to them in the Federal Government.
Sec. 3. Internship Program. The Internship Program shall provide students in high schools, community colleges, 4-year colleges, trade schools, career and technical education programs, and other qualifying educational institutions and programs, as determined by OPM, with paid opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while still in school. The Internship Program would replace the existing Student Career Experience Program, established pursuant to Executive Order 12015 of October 26, 1977. The following principles and policies shall govern the Internship Program:
(a) Participants in the program shall be referred to as “Interns” and shall be students enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in qualifying educational institutions and programs, as determined by OPM.
(b) Subject to any exceptions OPM may establish by regulation, agencies shall provide Interns with meaningful developmental work and set clear expectations regarding the work experience of the intern.
(c) Students employed by third-party internship providers but placed in agencies may, to the extent permitted by OPM regulations, be treated as participants in the Internship Program.
Sec. 4. Recent Graduates Program. The Recent Graduates Program shall provide individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs with developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service. The following principles and policies shall govern the Recent Graduates Program:
(a) Participants in the program shall be referred to as “Recent Graduates” and must have obtained a qualifying degree, or completed a qualifying career or technical education program, as determined by OPM, within the preceding 2 years, except that veterans who, due to their military service obligation, were precluded from participating in the Recent Graduates Program during the 2-year period after obtaining a qualifying degree or completing a qualifying program shall be eligible to participate in the Program within 6 years of obtaining a qualifying degree or completing a qualifying program.
(b) Responsibilities assigned to a Recent Graduate shall be consistent with his or her qualifications, educational background, and career interests, the purpose of the Recent Graduates Program, and agency needs.
Sec. 5. Presidential Management Fellows Program. The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is an existing program established pursuant to Executive Order 13318 of November 21, 2003, that aims to attract to the Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines at the graduate level who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, the leadership and management of public policies and programs. The following requirements shall govern the PMF Program upon the revocation of Executive Order 13318, as provided in section 8 of this order:
(a) Participants in this program shall continue to be known as Presidential Management Fellows (PMFs or Fellows) and must have received, within the preceding 2 years, a qualifying advanced degree, as determined by OPM.
(b) Responsibilities assigned to a PMF shall be consistent with the PMF’s qualifications, educational background, and career interests, the purposes of the PMF Program, and agency needs.
(c) OPM shall establish the eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications for the program, as well as a process for assessing eligible individuals for consideration for appointment as PMFs.
Sec. 6. Appointment and Conversion. (a) Appointments to any of the Pathways Programs shall be under Schedule D of the excepted service, as established by section 7 of this order.
(b) Appointments to the Recent Graduates or PMF Programs shall not exceed 2 years, unless extended by the employing agency for up to 120 days thereafter.
(c) Appointment to a Pathways Program shall confer no right to further Federal employment in either the competitive or excepted service upon the expiration of the appointment, except that agencies may convert eligible participants noncompetitively to term, career, or career conditional appointments after satisfying requirements to be established by OPM, and agencies may noncompetitively convert participants who were initially converted to a term appointment under this section to a career or career-conditional appointment before the term appointment expires.
Sec. 7. Implementation. (a) [Amended Civil Service Rule VI.]
(b) The Director of OPM shall:
(i) promulgate such regulations as the Director determines may be necessary to implement this order;
(ii) provide oversight of the Pathways Programs;
(iii) establish, if appropriate, a Government-wide cap on the number of noncompetitive conversions to the competitive service of Interns, Recent Graduates, or PMFs (or a Government-wide combined conversion cap applicable to all three categories together);
(iv) administer, and review and revise annually or as needed, any Government-wide cap established pursuant to this subsection;
(v) provide guidance on conducting an orderly transition from existing student and internship programs to the Pathways Programs established pursuant to this order; and
(vi) consider for publication in the Federal Register at an appropriate time a proposed rule seeking public comment on the elimination of the Student Temporary Employment Program, established through OPM regulations at 5 CFR 213.3202(a).
(c) In accordance with regulations prescribed pursuant to this order and applicable law, agencies shall:
(i) use appropriate merit-based procedures for recruitment, assessment, placement, and ongoing career development for participants in the Pathways Programs;
(ii) provide for equal employment opportunity in the Pathways Programs without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other non-merit-based factor;
(iii) apply veterans’ preference criteria; and
(iv) within 45 days of the date of this order, designate a Pathways Programs Officer (at the agency level, or at bureaus or components within the agency) to administer Pathways Programs, to serve as liaison with OPM, and to report to OPM on the implementation of the Pathways Programs and the individuals hired under them.
Sec. 8. Prior Executive Orders. (a) Effective March 1, 2011, Executive Order 13162 (Federal Career Intern Program) is superseded and revoked. Any individuals serving in appointments under that order on March 1, 2011, shall be converted to the competitive service, effective on that date, with no loss of pay or benefits.
(b) On the effective date of final regulations promulgated by the Director of OPM to implement the Internship Program, Executive Order 12015 (pursuant to which the Student Career Experience Program was established), as amended, is superseded and revoked.
(c) On the effective date of final regulations promulgated by the Director of OPM to implement changes to the PMF Program required by this order, Executive Order 13318 (Presidential Management Fellows Program), as amended, is superseded and revoked.
Sec. 9. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) authority granted by law, regulation, Executive Order, or Presidential Directive to an executive department, agency, or head thereof; or
(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Barack Obama.
heading: Improving the Federal Recruitment and Hiring Process
text: Memorandum of President of the United States, May 11, 2010, 75 F.R. 27157, provided:
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
To deliver the quality services and results the American people expect and deserve, the Federal Government must recruit and hire highly qualified employees, and public service should be a career of choice for the most talented Americans. Yet the complexity and inefficiency of today’s Federal hiring process deters many highly qualified individuals from seeking and obtaining jobs in the Federal Government.
I therefore call on executive departments and agencies (agencies) to overhaul the way they recruit and hire our civilian workforce. Americans must be able to apply for Federal jobs through a commonsense hiring process and agencies must be able to select high-quality candidates efficiently and quickly. Moreover, agency managers and supervisors must assume a leadership role in recruiting and selecting employees from all segments of our society. Human resource offices must provide critical support for these efforts. The ability of agencies to perform their missions effectively and efficiently depends on a talented and engaged workforce, and we must reform our hiring system to further strengthen that workforce.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 3301 of title 5, United States Code, I hereby direct the following:
Section 1. Directions to Agencies. Agency heads shall take the following actions no later than November 1, 2010:
(a) consistent with merit system principles and other requirements of title 5, United States Code, and subject to guidance to be issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), adopt hiring procedures that:
(1) eliminate any requirement that applicants respond to essay-style questions when submitting their initial application materials for any Federal job;
(2) allow individuals to apply for Federal employment by submitting resumes and cover letters or completing simple, plain language applications, and assess applicants using valid, reliable tools; and
(3) provide for selection from among a larger number of qualified applicants by using the “category rating” approach (as authorized by section 3319 of title 5, United States Code), rather than the “rule of 3” approach, under which managers may only select from among the three highest scoring applicants;
(b) require that managers and supervisors with responsibility for hiring are:
(1) more fully involved in the hiring process, including planning current and future workforce requirements, identifying the skills required for the job, and engaging actively in the recruitment and, when applicable, the interviewing process; and
(2) accountable for recruiting and hiring highly qualified employees and supporting their successful transition into Federal service, beginning with the first performance review cycle starting after November 1, 2010;
(c) provide the OPM and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) timelines and targets to:
(1) improve the quality and speed of agency hiring by:
(i) reducing substantially the time it takes to hire mission-critical and commonly filled positions;
(ii) measuring the quality and speed of the hiring process; and
(iii) analyzing the causes of agency hiring problems and actions that will be taken to reduce them; and
(2) provide every agency hiring manager training on effective, efficient, and timely ways to recruit and hire well-qualified individuals;
(d) notify individuals applying for Federal employment through USAJOBS, an OPM-approved Federal web-based employment search portal, about the status of their application at key stages of the application process; and
(e) identify a senior official accountable for leading agency implementation of this memorandum.
Sec. 2. Directions to the OPM. The OPM shall take the following actions no later than 90 days after the date of this memorandum:
(a) establish a Government-wide performance review and improvement process for hiring reform actions described in section 1 of this memorandum, including:
(1) a timeline, benchmarks, and indicators of progress; [and]
(2) a goal-focused, data-driven system for holding agencies accountable for improving the quality and speed of agency hiring, achieving agency hiring reform targets, and satisfying merit system principles and veterans’ preference requirements; and [sic]
(b) develop a plan to promote diversity in the Federal workforce, consistent with the merit system principle (codified at 5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(1)) that the Federal Government should endeavor to achieve a workforce from all segments of society;
(c) evaluate the Federal Career Intern Program established by Executive Order 13162 of July 6, 2000, provide recommendations concerning the future of that program, and propose a framework for providing effective pathways into the Federal Government for college students and recent college graduates;
(d) provide guidance or propose regulations, as appropriate, to streamline and improve the quality of job announcements for Federal employment to make sure they are easily understood by applicants;
(e) evaluate the effectiveness of shared registers used in filling positions common across multiple agencies and develop a strategy for improving agencies’ use of these shared registers for commonly filled Government-wide positions;
(f) develop a plan to increase the capacity of USAJOBS to provide applicants, hiring managers, and human resource professionals with information to improve the recruitment and hiring processes; and
(g) take such further administrative action as appropriate to implement sections 1 and 2 of this memorandum.
Sec. 3. Senior Administration Officials. Agency heads and other senior administration officials visiting university or college campuses on official business are encouraged to discuss career opportunities in the Federal Government with students.
Sec. 4. Reporting. (a) The OPM, in coordination with the OMB and in consultation with other agencies, shall develop a public human resources website to:
(1) track key human resource data, including progress on hiring reform implementation; and
(2) assist senior agency leaders, hiring managers, and human resource professionals with identifying and replicating best practices within the Federal Government for improving new employee quality and the hiring process.
(b) Each agency shall regularly review its key human resource performance and work with the OPM and the OMB to achieve timelines and targets for correcting agency hiring problems.
(c) The OPM shall submit to the President an annual report on the impact of hiring initiatives set forth in this memorandum, including its recommendations for further improving the Federal Government’s hiring process.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Except as expressly stated herein, nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(1) authority granted by law or Executive Order to an agency, or the head thereof; or
(2) functions of the Director of the OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The Director of the OPM, in consultation with the OMB, may grant an exception to any of the requirements set forth in section 1 of this memorandum to an agency that demonstrates that exceptional circumstances prevent it from complying with that requirement.
Sec. 6. Publication. The Director of the OPM is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
Barack Obama.
heading: Enhancing Safeguards To Prevent the Undue Denial of Federal Employment Opportunities to the Unemployed and Those Facing Financial Difficulty Through No Fault of Their Own
text: Memorandum of President of the United States, Jan. 31, 2014, 79 F.R. 7045, provided:
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
The Federal Government is America’s largest employer. While seeking to employ a talented and productive workforce, it has a responsibility to lead by example. Although executive departments and agencies (agencies) generally can, and do, take job applicants’ employment history and other factors into account when making hiring decisions, it is the policy of my Administration that applicants should not face undue obstacles to Federal employment because they are unemployed or face financial difficulties. The Government must continue to take steps to ensure the fair treatment of applicants, as well as incumbent Federal employees, who face financial difficulties through no fault of their own and make good faith efforts to meet those obligations. Therefore, I hereby direct as follows:
Section 1. Individuals Who Are Unemployed or Facing Financial Difficulty. (a) Agencies shall not make an unfavorable determination with respect to the suitability, fitness, or qualifications of an applicant for Federal employment because that applicant:
(i) is or was unemployed; or
(ii) has experienced or is experiencing financial difficulty through no fault of the applicant, if the applicant has undertaken a good-faith effort to meet his or her financial obligations.
(b) Consistent with existing law, agencies shall not remove, suspend, or demote a current Federal employee if the basis of the action is that the employee has experienced, or is experiencing, financial difficulty through no fault of the employee, and the employee has undertaken a good-faith effort to meet his or her financial obligations.
(c) Agencies shall review their recruiting and hiring practices to determine whether such processes intentionally or inadvertently place applicants at an undue disadvantage because of the factors set forth in subsection (a) of this section and report the results to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) within 90 days of the date of this memorandum. Taking into account the results, the Director of OPM shall issue guidance to Chief Human Capital Officers to assist agencies with implementation of this memorandum.
Sec. 2. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head thereof;
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals;
(iii) the authority granted by law, Executive Order, or regulation to a department or agency, or the head thereof, to determine eligibility for access to classified information or to occupy a sensitive position; or
(iv) the authority granted by law or Executive Order to a department or agency, or the head thereof, to take adverse actions against Federal employees for their failure to comply with any law, rule, or regulation imposing upon them an obligation to satisfy in good faith their just financial obligations, including Federal, State, or local taxes.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The Director of OPM is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
Barack Obama.