5 U.S.C. § 3301 (GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES)
§ 3301. Civil service; generally
(a) In General.—
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.
(b) DOD Procedures.—
The President may authorize the Department of Defense to determine the qualification, examination, and assessment procedures for positions in the competitive service based primarily on job-related competencies and skills, including the use of structured interviews, technical evaluations, or skills-based assessments, and alternative assessments.
(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 417; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title XI, § 1110(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1075.)
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: Editorial Notes
heading: Amendments
text: 2025—Pub. L. 119–60 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
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: Executive Documents
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, superseded by Ex. Ord. No. 12940, Nov. 28, 1994, 59 F.R. 61519.
Ex. Ord. No. 12748, § 6(a), formerly § 8(a), Feb. 1, 1991, 56 F.R. 4521, as amended, 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.
Ex. Ord. No. 13764, § 1, Jan. 17, 2017, 82 F.R. 8115.
Ex. Ord. No. 13843, § 3(a), July 10, 2018, 83 F.R. 32756.
Ex. Ord. No. 14029, § 3, May 14, 2021, 86 F.R. 27025.
Ex. Ord. No. 14171, § 4, Jan. 20, 2025, 90 F.R. 8626.
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 ([former] 5 U.S.C. App.) [see 5 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], 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 [see 5 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], 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, § 7(c), formerly § 8(c), Dec. 27, 2010, 75 F.R. 82588, as renumbered by Ex. Ord. No. 14217, § 2(e), Feb. 19, 2025, 90 F.R. 10577, 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, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 14217, § 2(e), Feb. 19, 2025, 90 F.R. 10577, 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, 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. 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 program 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. 6. 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 or Recent Graduates (or a Government-wide combined conversion cap applicable to both 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. 7. 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. 8. 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.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13678. Conversion Authority for Criminal Investigators (Special Agents) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13678, Oct. 3, 2014, 79 F.R. 60949, 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 section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Providing Conversion Authority. I find that conditions of good administration (specifically, the need to make the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Department of Justice (ATF), competitive in recruiting high quality special agents by giving the ATF an authority held by other Federal law enforcement agencies) make necessary an exception to the competitive examination rules for appointment to certain positions in the Federal civil service.
Criminal Investigators of the ATF, who have been appointed under Schedule B, and who have completed 3 years of fully satisfactory service, may be converted non-competitively to career appointments if they meet qualifications and other requirements established by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
Sec. 2. Implementation. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement this order.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(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 departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Barack Obama.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13704. Presidential Innovation Fellows Program
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13704, Aug. 17, 2015, 80 F.R. 50751, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is in the national interest for the Federal Government to attract the brightest minds skilled in technology or innovative practices to serve in the Federal Government to work on some of the Nation’s biggest and most pressing challenges. This order establishes a program to encourage successful entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators to join the Federal Government and work in close cooperation with Federal Government leaders, to create meaningful solutions that can help save lives and taxpayer money, fuel job creation, and significantly improve how the Federal Government serves the American people.
Sec. 2. Establishment and Administration. (a) The Administrator of General Services (Administrator) shall establish the Presidential Innovation Fellows Program (Program) to enable exceptional individuals with proven track records to serve time-limited appointments in executive branch departments and agencies (agencies) to address some of the Nation’s most significant challenges and improve existing Government efforts that would particularly benefit from expertise using innovative techniques and technology. Individuals selected for the Program shall be known as Presidential Innovation Fellows (Fellows).
(b) The Program shall be administered by a Director, appointed by the Administrator under authorities of the General Services Administration (GSA). GSA shall provide necessary staff, resources and administrative support for the Program to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations.
(c) GSA shall appoint the Fellows and, in cooperation with agencies, shall facilitate placement of the Fellows to participate in projects that have the potential for significant positive effects and are consistent with the President’s goals.
Sec. 3. Advisory Board. (a) The Administrator shall establish an Advisory Board to advise the Director by recommending such priorities and standards as may be beneficial to fulfill the mission of the Program and assist in identifying potential projects and placements for Fellows. The Advisory Board will not participate in the Fellows’ selection process.
(b) The Administrator will designate a representative to serve as the Chair of the Advisory Board. In addition to the Chair, the membership of the Advisory Board shall include the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Management and Budget’s Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government, and the Assistant to the President and Chief Technology Officer, or their designees and such other persons as may be designated by the Administrator. Consistent with law, the Advisory Board may consult with industry, academia, or non-profits to ensure the Program is continually identifying opportunities to apply advanced skillsets and innovative practices in effective ways to address the Nation’s most significant challenges.
Sec. 4. Application Process. (a) The Director, in accordance with applicable law, shall prescribe the process for applications and nominations of individuals to the Program.
(b) Following publication of these processes, the Director may accept for consideration applications from individuals. The Director shall establish, administer, review, and revise, if appropriate, a Government-wide cap on the number of Fellows.
The Director shall establish and publish salary ranges, benefits, and standards for the Program.
Sec. 5. Selection, Appointment, and Assignment of Fellows. (a) The Director, in accordance with applicable law, shall prescribe appropriate procedures for the selection, appointment, and assignment of Fellows.
(b) Prior to the selection of Fellows, the Director will consult with agencies and executive branch departments, regarding potential projects and how best to meet those needs. Following such consultation, the Director shall select and appoint individuals to serve as Fellows.
(c) The Fellows shall serve under short-term, time-limited appointments. As a general matter, they shall be appointed for no less than 6 months and no longer than 2 years in the Program. The Director shall facilitate the process of placing Fellows at requesting agencies and executive branch departments.
Sec. 6. Responsibilities of Agencies. Each executive branch department or agency, as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, is encouraged to work with the Director and Advisory Board to attempt to maximize the Program’s benefits to the department or agency and the Federal Government, including by identifying initiatives that will have a meaningful effect on the people served and that will benefit from involvement by one or more Fellows. Departments and agencies also are encouraged to ensure that each Fellow will work closely with responsible senior officials for the duration of the assignment.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the 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. 13749. Providing for the Appointment in the Competitive Service of Certain Employees of the Foreign Service
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13749, Nov. 29, 2016, 81 F.R. 87391, 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 section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The Federal Government benefits from a workforce that can be recruited from the broadest and deepest pools of qualified candidates for our highly competitive, merit-based positions. The recruitment and retention of workforce participants who serve in the Foreign Service of the Department of State under a Limited Non-Career Appointment under section 309 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, Public Law 96–465 (22 U.S.C. 3949), as amended, are critical to our ability to meet consular staffing levels (now in substantial deficit) and thereby enhance our capacity to meet high national security standards and efficiently process visas in accordance with our policy of “open doors, safe borders.” Program participants undergo a rigorous merit-based evaluation process, which includes a written test and an oral assessment and to which a veteran preference applies, and develop advanced- to superior-level skills in languages and in cultural competence in particular regions, skills that are essential for mission-critical positions throughout the entire Federal workforce.
Executive Order 13597 of January 19, 2012, sought to ensure that 80 percent of nonimmigrant visa applicants be interviewed within three weeks of receiving an application. The Department of State’s ability to maintain this 80 percent benchmark will come under increasing pressure in the future given current and projected staffing shortfalls through 2023. These staffing gaps could adversely affect the Department of State’s ability to sustain border security and immigration control at peak efficiency and effectiveness, which will have effects on tourism, job creation, and U.S. economic growth. Use of the Limited Non-Career Appointment hiring authority will provide flexibility to address, for the foreseeable future, both this increased demand and recurring institutional and national needs across the Federal 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 make necessary an exception to the competitive hiring rules for certain positions in the Federal civil service.
Sec. 2. The head of any agency in the executive branch may appoint in the competitive service an individual who served for at least 48 months of continuous service in the Foreign Service of the Department of State under a Limited Non-Career Appointment under section 309 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, and who passes such examination as the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may prescribe.
Sec. 3. In order to be eligible for noncompetitive appointment to positions under section 2 of this order, such an individual must:
(a) have received a satisfactory or better performance rating (or equivalent) for service under the qualifying Limited Non-Career Appointment; and
(b) exercise the eligibility for noncompetitive appointment within a period of 1 year after completion of the qualifying Limited Non-Career Appointment. Such period may be extended to not more than 3 years in the case of persons who, following such service, are engaged in military service, in the pursuit of studies at an institution of higher learning, or in other activities that, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant an extension of such period. Such period may also be extended to permit the adjudication of a background investigation.
Sec. 4. A person appointed under section 2 of this order shall become a career conditional employee.
Sec. 5. 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 2 of this order. Examples of disqualifying criteria include restrictions on employing persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, who have violated the anti-nepotism provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act [of 1978], 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(7), 3110, who have knowingly and willfully failed to register for Selective Service when required to do so, 5 U.S.C. 3328(a)(2), who do not meet occupational qualifying standards prescribed by OPM, or who do not meet suitability factors prescribed by OPM.
Sec. 6. The Office of Personnel Management is authorized to issue such additional regulations as may be necessary to implement this order. Any individual who meets the terms of this order, however, is eligible for noncompetitive eligibility with or without additional regulations.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof, or the status of that department or agency within the Federal Government; or
(ii) the 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. 13750. Providing for the Appointment of Alumni of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, and the Critical Language Scholarship Program to the Competitive Service
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13750, Nov. 29, 2016, 81 F.R. 87393, 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 section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The Federal Government benefits from a workforce that can be recruited from the broadest and deepest pools of qualified candidates for our highly competitive, merit-based positions. The issuance of an order granting Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) to certain alumni of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, and the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program, all of which are academic exchange programs carried out under the authorities of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act, and the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000, title III of Public Law 106–309, would be in the best interest of the Federal Government. Participants in these programs develop advanced- to superior-level skills in languages and cultural competence in regions that are strategically, diplomatically, and economically important to the United States. It is in the interest of the Federal Government to retain the services of these highly skilled individuals, particularly given that the Federal Government aided them in the acquisition of their skills. Participants in the Fulbright, Gilman, and CLS programs are drawn from highly competitive, merit-based national selection processes to which a veterans’ preference applies to ensure that the most qualified individuals are selected.
Accordingly, pursuant to my authority under 5 U.S.C. 3302(1), and in order to achieve a workforce that is drawn from all segments of society as provided in 5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(1), I find that conditions of good administration make necessary an exception to the competitive hiring rules for certain positions in the Federal civil service.
Sec. 2. Establishment. The head of any agency in the executive branch may appoint in the competitive service any person who is certified by the Secretary of State or designee as having participated successfully in the Fulbright, Gilman, or CLS international exchange programs, and who passes such examination as the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may prescribe.
Sec. 3. The Secretary of State or designee shall issue certificates, upon request, to persons whom the Department of State determines have completed the requirements of a program described in section 1 of this order.
Sec. 4. Any appointment under this order shall be effected within a period of 1 year after completion of the appointee’s participation in the programs described in section 1. Such period may be extended to not more than 3 years for persons who, following participation in the programs described in section 1, are engaged in military service, in the pursuit of studies at an institution of higher learning, or in other activities which, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant an extension of such period. Such period may also be extended to permit the adjudication of a background investigation.
Sec. 5. A person appointed under section 2 of this order becomes a career conditional employee.
Sec. 6. Any law, Executive Order, or regulation that would disqualify an applicant for appointment in the competitive service shall also disqualify an applicant for appointment under this order. Examples of disqualifying criteria include restrictions on employing persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, who have violated the anti-nepotism provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act [of 1978], 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(7), 3110, who have knowingly and willfully failed to register for Selective Service when required to do so, 5 U.S.C. 3328(a)(2), who do not meet occupational qualifying standards prescribed by OPM, or who do not meet suitability factors prescribed by OPM.
Sec. 7. The Office of Personnel Management is authorized to issue such additional regulations as may be necessary to implement this order. Any individual who meets the terms of this order, however, is eligible for noncompetitive hiring with or without additional regulations.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof, or the status of that department or agency within the Federal Government; or
(ii) the 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. 13842. Establishing an Exception to Competitive Examining Rules for Appointment to Certain Positions in the United States Marshals Service, Department of Justice
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13842, July 10, 2018, 83 F.R. 32753, 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. Providing Appointment Authority. (a) Good administration of the executive branch necessitates that the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), a component of the Department of Justice, have a hiring authority that is currently available to other Federal law enforcement agencies and that would, among other things, enable the USMS to be competitive in recruiting high-quality Deputy U.S. Marshals and Criminal Investigators, to better hire and retain qualified individuals in certain duty locations, and to more expeditiously fill vacant positions consistent with law enforcement needs. Accordingly, it is appropriate to place Deputy U.S. Marshals and Criminal Investigators of the USMS in Schedule B of the excepted service, as it is impracticable to hold open competition or to apply usual competitive examining procedures for those positions related to Federal law enforcement.
(b) Appointments to the positions identified in subsection (a) of this section:
(i) may not be made to positions of a confidential or policy-determining character or to positions in the Senior Executive Service; and
(ii) shall constitute Schedule B appointments that are:
(A) excepted from the competitive service; and
(B) subject to laws and regulations governing Schedule B appointments, including basic qualification standards established by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (Director) for the applicable occupation and grade level.
Sec. 2. Providing Conversion Authority. (a) Deputy U.S. Marshals and Criminal Investigators of the USMS appointed under Schedule B may, upon completion of 3 years of substantially continuous, fully satisfactory service, be converted non-competitively to career appointments, provided they meet the qualifications and other requirements established by the Director.
(b) The Director shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement this order.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the 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.
Donald J. Trump.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13843. Excepting Administrative Law Judges From the Competitive Service
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13843, July 10, 2018, 83 F.R. 32755, 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 professional cadre of administrative law judges (ALJs) appointed under section 3105 of title 5, United States Code, who are impartial and committed to the rule of law. As illustrated by the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Lucia v. Securities and Exchange Commission, No. 17–130 (June 21, 2018), ALJs are often called upon to discharge significant duties and exercise significant discretion in conducting proceedings under the laws of the United States. As part of their adjudications, ALJs interact with the public on issues of significance. Especially given the importance of the functions they discharge—which may range from taking testimony and conducting trials to ruling on the admissibility of evidence and enforcing compliance with their orders—ALJs must display appropriate temperament, legal acumen, impartiality, and sound judgment. They must also clearly communicate their decisions to the parties who appear before them, the agencies that oversee them, and the public that entrusts them with authority.
Previously, appointments to the position of ALJ have been made through competitive examination and competitive service selection procedures. The role of ALJs, however, has increased over time and ALJ decisions have, with increasing frequency, become the final word of the agencies they serve. Given this expanding responsibility for important agency adjudications, and as recognized by the Supreme Court in Lucia, at least some—and perhaps all—ALJs are “Officers of the United States” and thus subject to the Constitution’s Appointments Clause, which governs who may appoint such officials.
As evident from recent litigation, Lucia may also raise questions about the method of appointing ALJs, including whether competitive examination and competitive service selection procedures are compatible with the discretion an agency head must possess under the Appointments Clause in selecting ALJs. Regardless of whether those procedures would violate the Appointments Clause as applied to certain ALJs, there are sound policy reasons to take steps to eliminate doubt regarding the constitutionality of the method of appointing officials who discharge such significant duties and exercise such significant discretion.
Pursuant to my authority under section 3302(1) of title 5, United States Code, I find that conditions of good administration make necessary an exception to the competitive hiring rules and examinations for the position of ALJ. These conditions include the need to provide agency heads with additional flexibility to assess prospective appointees without the limitations imposed by competitive examination and competitive service selection procedures. Placing the position of ALJ in the excepted service will mitigate concerns about undue limitations on the selection of ALJs, reduce the likelihood of successful Appointments Clause challenges, and forestall litigation in which such concerns have been or might be raised. This action will also give agencies greater ability and discretion to assess critical qualities in ALJ candidates, such as work ethic, judgment, and ability to meet the particular needs of the agency. These are all qualities individuals should have before wielding the significant authority conferred on ALJs, and each agency should be able to assess them without proceeding through complicated and elaborate examination processes or rating procedures that do not necessarily reflect the agency’s particular needs. This change will also promote confidence in, and the durability of, agency adjudications.
Sec. 2. Excepted Service. Appointments of ALJs shall be made under Schedule E of the excepted service, as established by section 3 of this order.
Sec. 3. Implementation. (a) [Amended Civil Service Rule VI.]
(b) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (Director) shall:
(i) adopt such regulations as the Director determines may be necessary to implement this order, including, as appropriate, amendments to or rescissions of regulations that are inconsistent with, or that would impede the implementation of, this order, giving particular attention to 5 CFR, part 212, subpart D; 5 CFR, part 213, subparts A and C; 5 CFR 302.101; and 5 CFR, part 930, subpart B; and
(ii) provide guidance on conducting a swift, orderly transition from the existing appointment process for ALJs to the Schedule E process established by this order.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented in a manner 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.
Donald J. Trump.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13932. Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13932, June 26, 2020, 85 F.R. 39457, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and sections 1104(a)(1), 3301, and 7301 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The foundation of our professional merit-based civil service is the principle that employment and advancement rest on the ability of individuals to fulfill their responsibilities in service to the American public. Accordingly, Federal Government employment opportunities should be filled based on merit. Policies or practices that undermine public confidence in the hiring process undermine confidence in both the civil service and the Government.
America’s private employers have modernized their recruitment practices to better identify and secure talent through skills- and competency-based hiring. As the modern workforce evolves, the Federal Government requires a more efficient approach to hiring. Employers adopting skills- and competency-based hiring recognize that an overreliance on college degrees excludes capable candidates and undermines labor-market efficiencies. Degree-based hiring is especially likely to exclude qualified candidates for jobs related to emerging technologies and those with weak connections between educational attainment and the skills or competencies required to perform them. Moreover, unnecessary obstacles to opportunity disproportionately burden low-income Americans and decrease economic mobility.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) oversees most aspects of the civilian Federal workforce, including creating and maintaining the General Schedule classification system and determining the duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements for Federal jobs. Executive departments and agencies (agencies), however, are responsible for vetting and selecting specific candidates to fill particular job openings consistent with statutory requirements and OPM rules and guidance, including applicable minimum educational requirements. Currently, for most Federal jobs, traditional education—high school, college, or graduate-level—rather than experiential learning is either an absolute requirement or the only path to consideration for candidates without many years of experience. As a result, Federal hiring practices currently lag behind those of private sector leaders in securing talent based on skills and competency.
My Administration is committed to modernizing and reforming civil service hiring through improved identification of skills requirements and effective assessments of the skills job seekers possess. We encourage these same practices in the private sector. Modernizing our country’s processes for identifying and hiring talent will provide America a more inclusive and demand-driven labor force.
Through the work of the National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, my Administration is fulfilling its commitment to expand employment opportunities for workers. The increased adoption of apprenticeship programs by American employers, the creation of Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs, and the implementation of Federal hiring reforms, including those in this order, represent important steps toward providing more Americans with pathways to family-sustaining careers. In addition, the Principles on Workforce Freedom and Mobility announced by my Administration in January 2020 detail reforms that will expand opportunities and eliminate unnecessary education costs for job seekers. This order builds on the broader work of my Administration to expand opportunity and create a more inclusive 21st-century economy.
This order directs important, merit-based reforms that will replace degree-based hiring with skills- and competency-based hiring and will hold the civil service to a higher standard—ensuring that the individuals most capable of performing the roles and responsibilities required of a specific position are those hired for that position—that is more in line with the principles on which the merit system rests.
Sec. 2. Revision of Job Classification and Qualification Standards. (a) The Director of OPM, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and the heads of agencies, shall review and revise all job classification and qualification standards for positions within the competitive service, as necessary and consistent with subsections (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of this section. All changes to job classification and qualification standards shall be made available to the public within 120 days of the date of this order [June 26, 2020] and go into effect within 180 days of the date of this order.
(i) An agency may prescribe a minimum educational requirement for employment in the Federal competitive service only when a minimum educational qualification is legally required to perform the duties of the position in the State or locality where those duties are to be performed.
(ii) Unless an agency is determining a candidate’s satisfaction of a legally required minimum educational requirement, an agency may consider education in determining a candidate’s satisfaction of some other minimum qualification only if the candidate’s education directly reflects the competencies necessary to satisfy that qualification and perform the duties of the position.
(b) Position descriptions and job postings published by agencies for positions within the competitive service should be based on the specific skills and competencies required to perform those jobs.
Sec. 3. Improving the Use of Assessments in the Federal Hiring Process. (a) In addition to the other requirements of this order, the Director of OPM shall work with the heads of all agencies to ensure that, within 180 days of the date of this order, for positions within the competitive service, agencies assess candidates in a manner that does not rely solely on educational attainment to determine the extent to which candidates possess relevant knowledge, skills, competencies, and abilities. The heads of all agencies shall develop or identify such assessment practices.
(b) In assessing candidates, agencies shall not rely solely on candidates’ self-evaluations of their stated abilities. Applicants must clear other assessment hurdles in order to be certified for consideration.
(c) Agencies shall continually evaluate the effectiveness of different assessment strategies to promote and protect the quality and integrity of their hiring processes.
Sec. 4. Definitions. For purposes of this order:
(a) the term “assessment” refers to any valid and reliable method of collecting information on an individual for the purposes of making a decision about qualification, hiring, placement, promotion, referral, or entry into programs leading to advancement;
(b) the term “competitive service” has the meaning specified by section 2102 of title 5, United States Code;
(c) the term “education” refers to Post High-School Education as that term is defined in the OPM General Schedule Qualification Policies; and
(d) the term “qualification” means the minimum requirements necessary to perform work of a particular position or occupation successfully and safely.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the 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.
Donald J. Trump.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13957. Creating Schedule Policy/Career in the Excepted Service
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13957, Oct. 21, 2020, 85 F.R. 67631, revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 14003, § 2(a), Jan. 22, 2021, 86 F.R. 7231, reinstated and amended by Ex. Ord. No. 14171, §§ 2, 3, Jan. 20, 2025, 90 F.R. 8625, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301, 3302, and 7511 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. To effectively carry out the broad array of activities assigned to the executive branch under law, the President and his appointees must rely on men and women in the Federal service employed in positions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character. Faithful execution of the law requires that the President have appropriate management oversight regarding this select cadre of professionals.
The Federal Government benefits from career professionals in positions that are not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition but who discharge significant duties and exercise significant discretion in formulating and implementing executive branch policy and programs under the laws of the United States. The heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) and the American people also entrust these career professionals with non-public information that must be kept confidential.
With the exception of attorneys in the Federal service who are appointed pursuant to Schedule A of the excepted service and members of the Senior Executive Service, appointments to these positions are generally made through the competitive service. Given the importance of the functions they discharge, employees in such positions must display appropriate temperament, acumen, impartiality, and sound judgment.
Due to these requirements, agencies should have a greater degree of appointment flexibility with respect to these employees than is afforded by the existing competitive service process.
Further, effective performance management of employees in confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating positions is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, the Government’s current performance management is inadequate, as recognized by Federal workers themselves. For instance, the 2016 Merit Principles Survey reveals that less than a quarter of Federal employees believe their agency addresses poor performers effectively.
Separating employees who cannot or will not meet required performance standards is important, and it is particularly important with regard to employees in confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating positions. High performance by such employees can meaningfully enhance agency operations, while poor performance can significantly hinder them. Senior agency officials report that poor performance by career employees in policy-relevant positions has resulted in long delays and substandard-quality work for important agency projects, such as drafting and issuing regulations.
Pursuant to my authority under section 3302(1) of title 5, United States Code, I find that conditions of good administration make necessary excepting such positions from the competitive service and the adverse action procedures set forth in chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code. Chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code, requires agencies to comply with extensive procedures before taking adverse action against an employee. These requirements can make removing poorly performing employees difficult. Only a quarter of Federal supervisors are confident that they could remove a poor performer. Career employees in confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, and policy-advocating positions wield significant influence over Government operations and effectiveness. Agencies need the flexibility to expeditiously remove poorly performing employees from these positions without facing extensive delays or litigation.
Sec. 2. Definition. The phrase “normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition” refers to positions whose occupants are, as a matter of practice, expected to resign upon a Presidential transition and includes all positions whose appointment requires the assent of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.
Sec. 3. Excepted Service. Appointments of individuals to positions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character that are not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be made under Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service, as established by section 4 of this order.
Sec. 4. Schedule Policy/Career of the Excepted Service. (a) Civil Service Rule VI is amended as follows:
(i) 5 CFR 6.2 is amended to read:
“OPM shall list positions that it excepts from the competitive service in Schedules A, B, C, D, E, and Policy/Career, which schedules shall constitute parts of this rule, as follows:
[“]Schedule A. Positions other than those of a confidential or policy-determining character for which it is not practicable to examine shall be listed in Schedule A.
[“]Schedule B. Positions other than those of a confidential or policy-determining character for which it is not practicable to hold a competitive examination shall be listed in Schedule B. Appointments to these positions shall be subject to such noncompetitive examination as may be prescribed by OPM.
[“]Schedule C. Positions of a confidential or policy-determining character normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be listed in Schedule C.
[“]Schedule D. Positions other than those of a confidential or policy-determining character for which the competitive service requirements make impracticable the adequate recruitment of sufficient numbers of students attending qualifying educational institutions or individuals who have recently completed qualifying educational programs. These positions, which are temporarily placed in the excepted service to enable more effective recruitment from all segments of society by using means of recruiting and assessing candidates that diverge from the rules generally applicable to the competitive service, shall be listed in Schedule D.
[“]Schedule E. Position of administrative law judge appointed under 5 U.S.C. 3105. Conditions of good administration warrant that the position of administrative law judge be placed in the excepted service and that appointment to this position not be subject to the requirements of 5 CFR, part 302, including examination and rating requirements, though each agency shall follow the principle of veteran preference as far as administratively feasible.
[“]Schedule Policy/Career. Career positions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be listed in Schedule Policy/Career. In appointing an individual to a position in Schedule Policy/Career, each agency shall follow the principle of veteran preference as far as administratively feasible.”
(ii) 5 CFR 6.4 is amended to read:
“Except as required by statute, the Civil Service Rules and Regulations shall not apply to removals from positions listed in Schedules A, C, D, E, or Policy/Career, or from positions excepted from the competitive service by statute. The Civil Service Rules and Regulations shall apply to removals from positions listed in Schedule B of persons who have competitive status.”
(b) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (Director) shall:
(i) adopt such regulations as the Director determines may be necessary to implement this order, including, as appropriate[,] providing for the application of Civil Service Rule 6.3(a) to Schedule Policy/Career positions and, [sic] amendments to or rescissions of regulations that are inconsistent with, or that would impede the implementation of, this order, giving particular attention to 5 CFR, part 212, subpart D; 5 CFR, part 213, subparts A and C; and 5 CFR 302.101; and
(ii) provide guidance on conducting a swift, orderly transition from existing appointment processes to the Schedule Policy/Career process established by this order.
Sec. 5. Agency Actions. (a) Each head of an executive agency (as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, but excluding the Government Accountability Office) shall conduct, within 90 days of the date of this order [Oct. 21, 2020], a preliminary review of agency positions covered by subchapter II of chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code, and shall conduct a complete review of such positions within 210 days of the date of this order. Thereafter, each agency head shall conduct a review of agency positions covered by subchapter II of chapter 75 of title 5, United States Code, on at least an annual basis. Following such reviews each agency head shall:
(i) for positions not excepted from the competitive service by statute, petition the Director to recommend that the President place in Schedule Policy/Career any such competitive service, Schedule A, Schedule B, or Schedule D positions within the agency that the agency head determines to be of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition. Any such petition shall include a written explanation documenting the basis for the agency head’s determination that such position should be placed in Schedule Policy/Career; and
(ii) for positions excepted from the competitive service by statute, determine which such positions are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character and are not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition. The agency head shall publish this determination in the Federal Register. Such positions shall be considered Schedule Policy/Career positions for the purposes of agency actions under sections 5(d) and 6 of this order.
(b) The requirements set forth in subsection (a) of this section shall apply to currently existing positions and newly created positions.
(c) When conducting the review required by subsection (a) of this section, each agency head should give particular consideration to the appropriateness of either petitioning the Director to place in Schedule Policy/Career or including in the determination published in the Federal Register, as applicable, positions whose duties include the following:
(i) substantive participation in the advocacy for or development or formulation of policy, especially:
(A) substantive participation in the development or drafting of regulations and guidance; or
(B) substantive policy-related work in an agency or agency component that primarily focuses on policy;
(ii) the supervision of attorneys;
(iii) substantial discretion to determine the manner in which the agency exercises functions committed to the agency by law;
(iv) viewing, circulating, or otherwise working with proposed regulations, guidance, executive orders, or other non-public policy proposals or deliberations generally covered by deliberative process privilege and either:
(A) directly reporting to or regularly working with an individual appointed by either the President or an agency head who is paid at a rate not less than that earned by employees at Grade 13 of the General Schedule; or
(B) working in the agency or agency component executive secretariat (or equivalent); or
(v) conducting, on the agency’s behalf, collective bargaining negotiations under chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code. [sic]
(vi) directly or indirectly supervising employees in Schedule Policy/Career positions; or
(vii) duties that the Director otherwise indicates may be appropriate for inclusion in Schedule Policy/Career.
(d) The Director shall promptly recommend to the President which positions should be placed in Schedule Policy/Career.
(e) Each agency head shall, as necessary and appropriate, expeditiously petition the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether any Schedule Policy/Career position must be excluded from a collective bargaining unit under section 7112(b) of title 5, United States Code, paying particular attention to the question of whether incumbents in such positions are required or authorized to formulate, determine, or influence the policies of the agency.
Sec. 6. Prohibited Personnel Practices Prohibited. (a) Agencies shall establish rules to prohibit the same personnel practices prohibited by section 2302(b) of title 5, United States Code, with respect to any employee or applicant for employment in Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service.
(b) Employees in or applicants for Schedule Policy/Career positions are not required to personally or politically support the current President or the policies of the current administration. They are required to faithfully implement administration policies to the best of their ability, consistent with their constitutional oath and the vesting of executive authority solely in the President. Failure to do so is grounds for dismissal.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the 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.
(d) If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of any of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
(e) Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit or narrow the positions that are or may be listed in Schedule C.
heading: Executive Order No. 14003
text: Ex. Ord. No. 14003, Jan. 22, 2021, 86 F.R. 7231, protecting the Federal workforce and revoking certain presidential and regulatory actions, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 14148, § 2(o), Jan. 20, 2025, 90 F.R. 8238, and Ex. Ord. No. 14171, § 6, Jan. 20, 2025, 90 F.R. 8626.
heading: Executive Order No. 14143
text: Ex. Ord. No. 14143, Jan. 16, 2025, 90 F.R. 6751, which related to the appointment of alumni of AmeriCorps to the competitive service, was repealed by Ex. Ord. No. 14148, § 2(zzz), Jan. 20, 2025, 90 F.R. 8240.
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.