Derivation U.S. Code Revised Statutes and Statutes at Large

5 U.S.C. 631 (less R.S. Sec. 1753 (less last last 16 words). 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.

SHORT TITLE OF 1998 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 105-277, div. C, title I, Sec. 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'." SHORT TITLE OF 1991 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 102-175, Sec. 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'." MODIFICATIONS TO NATIONAL SECURITY EDUCATION PROGRAM Pub. L. 107-296, title XIII, Sec. 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." TEMPORARY MEASURES TO FACILITATE REEMPLOYMENT OF CERTAIN DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Pub. L. 102-484, div. D, title XLIV, Sec. 4432, Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2720, provided that: "(a) Definitions. - For the purpose of this section - "(1) the term 'agency' means an Executive agency (as defined by section 105 of title 5, United States Code), excluding the General Accounting Office and the Department of Defense; and "(2) the term 'displaced employee' means any individual who is - "(A) an employee of the Department of Defense who has been given specific notice that such employee is to be separated due to a reduction in force; or "(B) a former employee of the Department of Defense who was involuntarily separated therefrom due to a reduction in force. "(b) Method of Consideration. - In accordance with regulations which the Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe, consistent with otherwise applicable provisions of law, an agency shall, in filling a vacant position for which a qualified displaced employee has applied in timely fashion, give full consideration to the application of the displaced employee before selecting any candidate from outside the agency for the position. "(c) Limitation. - A displaced employee is entitled to consideration in accordance with this section for the 24-month period beginning on the date such employee receives the specific notice referred to in subsection (a)(2)(A), except that, if the employee is separated pursuant to such notice, the right to such consideration shall continue through the end of the 24-month period beginning on the date of separation. "(d) Applicability. - (1) This section shall apply to any individual who - "(A) became a displaced employee within the 12-month period ending immediately before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 23, 1992]; or "(B) becomes a displaced employee on or after the date of the enactment of this Act and before October 1, 1997. "(2) In the case of a displaced employee described in paragraph (1)(A), for purposes of computing any period of time under subsection (c), the date of the specific notice described in subsection (a)(2)(A) (or, if the employee was separated as described in subsection (a)(2)(B) before the date of enactment of this Act, the date of separation) shall be deemed to have occurred on such date of enactment. "(3) Nothing in this section shall be considered to apply with respect to any position - "(A) which has been filled as of the date of enactment of this Act; or "(B) which has been excepted from the competitive service because of its confidential, policy-determining, policy-making or policy-advocating character." NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE 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."

Ex. Ord. No. 8743. Extending The Classified Civil Service

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.

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9367 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. EX. ORD. NO. 10577. CIVIL SERVICE RULES Ex. Ord. No. 10577, Nov. 22, 1954, 19 F.R. 7521, eff. Jan. 23, 1955, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 10641, Oct. 26, 1955, 20 F.R. 8137; Ex. Ord. No. 10675, Aug. 21, 1956, 21 F.R. 6327 Jan. 23, 1956; Ex. Ord. No. 10745, Dec. 12, 1957, 22 F.R. 10025; Ex. Ord. No. 10869, Mar. 9, 1960, 25 F.R. 2073; Ex. Ord. No. 11315, Nov. 17, 1966, 31 F.R. 14729; 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; Ex. Ord. No. 12021, Nov. 30, 1977, 42 F.R. 61237; Ex. Ord. No. 12043, Mar. 7, 1978, 43 F.R. 9773; Ex. Ord. No. 12107, Dec. 28, 1978, 44 F.R. 1055; Ex. Ord. No. 12125, Mar. 15, 1979, 44 F.R. 16879; Ex. Ord. No. 12148, July 20, 1979, 44 F.R. 43239; Ex. Ord. No. 12300, Mar. 23, 1981, 46 F.R. 18683; Ex. Ord. No. 12748, Feb. 1, 1991, 56 F.R. 4521; 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, Sec. 2(b), June 4, 1999, 64 F.R. 31103; Ex. Ord. No. 13197, Jan. 18, 2001, 66 F.R. 7853; provided: PART I - CIVIL SERVICE RULES Section 101. The Civil Service Rules are hereby amended to read as follows: RULE I - COVERAGE AND DEFINITIONS SEC. 1.1. POSITIONS AND EMPLOYEES AFFECTED BY THESE RULES These Rules shall apply to all positions in the competitive service and to all incumbents of such positions.

Except as expressly provided in the Rule concerned, these Rules shall not apply to positions and employees in the excepted service.

SEC. 1.2. EXTENT OF THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE The competitive service shall include: (a) All civilian positions in the executive branch of the Government unless specifically excepted therefrom by or pursuant to statute or by the Office of Personnel Management (hereafter referred to in these Rules as the Office) under section 6.1 of Rule VI; and (b) all positions in the legislative and judicial branches of the Federal Government and in the Government of the District of Columbia which are specifically made subject to the civil-service laws by statute.

The Office is authorized and directed to determine finally whether a position is in the competitive service.

SEC. 1.3. DEFINITIONS As used in these Rules: (a) "Competitive service" shall have the same meaning as the words "classified service", or "classified (competitive) service", or "classified civil service" as defined in existing statutes and executive orders. (b) "Competitive position" shall mean a position in the competitive service. (c) "Competitive status" shall mean basic eligibility to be noncompetitively selected to fill a vacancy in a competitive position. A competitive status shall be acquired by career-conditional or career appointment through open competitive examination upon satisfactory completion of a probationary period, or may be granted by statute, executive order, or the Civil Service Rules without competitive examination. A person with competitive status may be promoted, transferred, reassigned, reinstated, or demoted without taking an open competitive examination, subject to the conditions prescribed by the Civil Service Rules and Regulations. (d) An employee shall be considered as being in the competitive service when he has a competitive status and occupies a competitive position unless he is serving under a temporary appointment: Provided, That an employee who is in the competitive service at the time his position is first listed under Schedule A, B, or C shall be considered as continuing in the competitive service as long as he continues to occupy such position. (e) "Tenure" shall mean the period of time an employee may reasonably expect to serve under his current appointment.

Tenure shall be granted and governed by the type of appointment under which an employee is currently serving without regard to whether he has a competitive status or whether his appointment is to a competitive position or an excepted position.

SEC. 1.4. EXTENT OF THE EXCEPTED SERVICE (a) The excepted service shall include all civilian positions in the executive branch of the Government which are specifically excepted from the requirements of the Civil Service Act or from the competitive service by or pursuant to statute or by the Office under section 6.1 of Rule VI. (b) "Excepted service" shall have the same meaning as the words "unclassified service", or "unclassified civil service", or "positions outside the competitive civil service" as used in existing statutes and executive orders. (c) "Excepted position" shall have the same meaning as "unclassified position", or "position excepted by law", or "position excepted by executive order", or "position excepted by Civil Service Rule", or "position outside the competitive service" as used in existing statutes and executive orders.

RULE II - APPOINTMENT THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE SYSTEM SEC. 2.1. COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS AND ELIGIBLE REGISTERS (a) The Office shall be responsible for open competitive examinations for admission to the competitive service which will fairly test the relative capacity and fitness of the persons examined for the position to be filled.

The Office is authorized to establish standards with respect to citizenship, age, education, training and experience, suitability, and physical and mental fitness, and for residence or other requirements which applicants must meet to be admitted to or rated in examinations. (b) In addition to the names of persons who qualify in competitive examinations, the names of persons who have lost eligibility on a career or career-conditional register because of service in the armed forces, and the names of persons who lost opportunity for certification or who have served under career or career-conditional appointment when the Office determines that they should be given certification, may also be entered at such places on appropriate registers and under such conditions as the Office may prescribe. (c) Whenever the Office of Personnel Management (1) is unable to certify a sufficient number of names to permit the appointing officer to consider three eligibles for appointment to a fourth-class postmaster position in accordance with the regular procedure, or (2) finds that a particular rate of compensation for fourth-class postmaster positions is too low to warrant regular competitive examinations for such positions, it may authorize appointment to any such position or positions in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the Office.

Persons appointed under this subsection may acquire competitive status subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period prescribed by the Office.

SEC. 2.2. APPOINTMENTS (a) The Office shall establish and administer a career-conditional appointment system for positions subject to competitive examination which will permit adjustment of the career service to necessary fluctuations in Federal employment, and provide an equitable and orderly system for stabilizing the Federal work force. A competitive status shall be acquired by a career-conditional appointee upon satisfactory completion of a probationary period, but the appointee shall have career-conditional tenure for a period of service to be prescribed by regulation of the Office.

When an employee has completed the required period of service his appointment shall be converted to a career appointment without time limitation: Provided, That his career-conditional appointment shall not be converted to a career appointment if the limitation on the number of permanent employees in the Federal civil service established under subsection (b) of this section would be exceeded thereby.

Persons selected from competitive civil service registers for other than temporary appointment shall be given career-conditional appointments: Provided, That career appointments shall be given to the following classes of eligibles: (1) Persons whose appointments are required by statute to be made on a permanent basis; (2) employees serving under career appointments at the time of selections from such registers; (3) former employees who have eligibility for career appointments upon reinstatement; and (4) to the extent permitted by law, persons appointed to positions in the field service of the Post Office Department for which salary rates are fixed by the act of July 6, 1945, 59 Stat. 435, as heretofore or hereafter amended and supplemented. (b) Under the career-conditional appointment system there shall be a limit on the number of permanent employees in the Federal civil service which shall be the ceiling established by section 1310 of the Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1952 (65 Stat. 757), as amended [set out as a note under section 3101 of this title]. In the event section 1310, supra, is repealed, the Office is authorized to fix such limitation on the number of permanent employees in the Federal civil service as it finds necessary to meet the needs of the service. (c) The Office may determine the types, duration, and conditions of indefinite and temporary appointments, and may prescribe the method for replacing persons holding such appointments.

SEC. 2.3. APPORTIONMENT Subject to such modifications as the Office finds to be necessary in the interest of good administration, appointments to positions in agencies' headquarters offices which are located within the metropolitan area of Washington, D.C., shall be made so as to maintain the apportionment of appointments among the several States, Territories, and the District of Columbia upon the basis of population.

SEC. 2.4. PROBATIONARY PERIOD Persons selected from registers of eligibles for career or career-conditional appointment and employees promoted, transferred, or otherwise assigned, for the first time, to supervisory or managerial positions shall be required to serve a probationary period under terms and conditions prescribed by the Office.

RULE III - NONCOMPETITIVE ACQUISITION OF STATUS SEC. 3.1. CLASSES OF PERSONS WHO MAY NONCOMPETITIVELY ACQUIRE STATUS (a) Upon recommendation by the agency concerned, and subject to such noncompetitive examination, time limits, or other requirements as the Office may prescribe, the following classes of persons may acquire a competitive status without competitive examination: (1) A person holding a permanent position when it is placed in the competitive service by statute or executive order or is otherwise made subject to competitive examination. (2) A disabled veteran who, in a manner satisfactory to the Office, has completed a course of training in the executive branch of the Government prescribed by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs in accordance with the act of March 24, 1943, 57 Stat. 43. (3) An employee who has served at least two years in the immediate office of the President or on the White House Staff and who is transferred to a competitive position at the request of an agency. (4) An employee who was serving when his name was reached for certification on a civil-service register appropriate for the position in which he was serving: Provided, That the recommendation for competitive status is made prior to expiration of the register on which his name appears or is made during a period of continuous service since his name was reached: Provided further, That the register was being used for appointments conferring competitive status at the time his name was reached. (b) Upon recommendation by the employing agency, and subject to such requirements as the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe, the following classes of handicapped employees may acquire competitive status without competitive examination: (1) A severely physically handicapped employee who completes at least two years of satisfactory service in a position excepted from the competitive service. (2) A mentally retarded employee who completes at least two years of satisfactory service in a position excepted from the competitive service. (3) An employee with psychiatric disabilities who completes at least 2 years of satisfactory service in a position excepted from the competitive service.

SEC. 3.2. APPOINTMENTS WITHOUT COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION IN RARE CASES Subject to receipt of satisfactory evidence of the qualifications of the person to be appointed, the Office may authorize an appointment in the competitive service without competitive examination whenever it finds that the duties or compensation of the position are such, or that qualified persons are so rare, that, in the interest of good civil-service administration, the position cannot be filled through open competitive examination.

Any person heretofore or hereafter appointed under this section shall acquire a competitive status upon completion of at least one year of satisfactory service and compliance with such requirements as the Office may prescribe.

Detailed statements of the reasons for the noncompetitive appointments made under this section shall be published in the Office's annual reports.

SEC. 3.3. CONVERSION OF APPOINTMENTS Any person who acquires a competitive status under this Rule shall have his appointment converted to career-conditional appointment unless he meets the service requirement for career appointment prescribed under section 2.2 (a) of Rule II. RULE IV - PROHIBITED PRACTICES SEC. 4.1. [REVOKED BY EX. ORD. NO. 12896, FEB. 3, 1994, 59 F.R. 5515.] SEC. 4.2. PROHIBITION AGAINST RACIAL, POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION No person employed in the executive branch of the Federal Government who has authority to take or recommend any personnel action with respect to any person who is an employee in the competitive service or any eligible or applicant for a position in the competitive service shall make any inquiry concerning the race, political affiliation or religious beliefs of any such employee, eligible, or applicant.

All disclosures concerning such matters shall be ignored, except as to such membership in political parties or organizations as constitutes by law a disqualification for Government employment.

No discrimination shall be exercised, threatened, or promised by any person in the executive branch of the Federal Government against or in favor of any employee in the competitive service, or any eligible or applicant for a position in the competitive service because of his race, political affiliation or religious beliefs, except as may be authorized or required by law. SEC. 4.3. PROHIBITION AGAINST SECURING WITHDRAWAL FROM COMPETITION No person shall influence another person to withdraw from competition for any position in the competitive service for the purpose of either improving or injuring the prospects of any applicant for appointment.

RULE V - REGULATIONS, INVESTIGATIONS, EVALUATION, AND ENFORCEMENT SEC. 5.1. CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS The Director, Office of Personnel Management, shall promulgate and enforce regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of the Civil Service Act and the Veterans' Preference Act, as reenacted in Title 5, United States Code [now covered by this chapter and chapter 35 of this title], the Civil Service Rules, and all other statutes and Executive orders imposing responsibilities on the Office.

The Director is authorized, whenever there are practical difficulties and unnecessary hardships in complying with the strict letter of the regulation, to grant a variation from the strict letter of the regulation if such a variation is within the spirit of the regulations, and the efficiency of the Government and the integrity of the competitive service are protected and promoted.

Whenever a variation is granted the Director shall note the official record to show: (1) the particular practical difficulty or hardship involved, (2) what is permitted in place of what is required by regulation, (3) the circumstances which protect or promote the efficiency of the Government and the integrity of the competitive service, and (4) a statement limiting the application of the variation to the continuation of the conditions which gave rise to it. Like variations shall be granted whenever like conditions exist.

All such decisions and information concerning variations noted in the official record shall be published promptly in a Federal Personnel Manual, Letter or Bulletin and in the Director's next annual report.

SEC. 5.2. INVESTIGATION AND EVALUATIONS The Director may secure effective implementation of the civil service laws, rules, and regulations, and all Executive orders imposing responsibilities on the Office by: (a) Investigating the qualifications and suitability of applicants for positions in the competitive service.

The Director may require appointments to be made subject to investigation to enable the Director to determine, after appointment, that the requirements of law or the civil service rules and regulations have been met. (b) Evaluating the effectiveness of: (1) personnel policies, programs, and operations of Executive and other Federal agencies subject to the jurisdiction of the Office, including their effectiveness with regard to merit selection and employee development; (2) agency compliance with and enforcement of applicable laws, rules, regulations and office directives; and (3) agency personnel management evaluation systems. (c) Investigating, or directing an agency to investigate and report on, apparent violations of applicable laws, rules, regulations, or directives requiring corrective action, found in the course of an evaluation.

SEC. 5.3. ENFORCEMENT (a) The Director is authorized to ensure enforcement of the civil service laws, rules, and regulations, and all applicable Executive orders, by: (1) Instructing an agency to separate or take other action against an employee serving an appointment subject to investigation when the Director finds that the employee is disqualified for Federal employment.

Where the employee or the agency appeals the Director's finding that a separation or other action is necessary, the Director may instruct the agency as to whether or not the employee should remain on duty and continue to receive pay pending adjudication of the appeal: Provided, That when an agency separates or takes other action against an employee pursuant to the Director's instructions, and the Director, on the basis of new evidence, subsequently reverses the initial decision as to the employee's qualifications and suitability, the agency shall, upon request of the Director, restore the employee to duty or otherwise reverse any action taken. (2) Reporting the results of evaluation or investigations to the head of the agency concerned with instructions for any corrective action necessary, including cancellation of personnel actions where appropriate.

The Director's findings resulting from evaluations or investigations are binding unless changed as a result of agency evidence and arguments against them. If, during the course of any evaluation or investigation under this Section, the Director finds evidence of matters which come within the investigative and prosecutorial jurisdiction of the Special Counsel of the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Director shall refer this evidence to the Special Counsel for appropriate disposition. (b) Whenever the Director issues specific instructions as to separation or other corrective action with regard to an employee, including cancellation of a personnel action, the head of the agency concerned shall comply with the Director's instructions. (c) If the agency head fails to comply with the specific instructions of the Director as to separation or other corrective action with regard to an employee, including cancellation of a personnel action, the Director may certify to the Comptroller General of the United States the agency's failure to act together with such additional information as the Comptroller General may require, and shall furnish a copy of such certification to the head of the agency concerned.

The individual with respect to whom such separation or other corrective action was instructed shall be entitled thereafter to no pay or only to such pay as appropriate to effectuate the Director's instructions.

SEC. 5.4. INFORMATION AND TESTIMONY When required by the Office, the Merit Systems Protection Board, or the Special Counsel of the Merit Systems Protection Board, or by authorized representatives of these bodies, agencies shall make available to them, or to their authorized representatives, employees to testify in regard to matters inquired of under the civil service laws, rules, and regulations, and records pertinent to these matters.

All such employees, and all applicants or eligibles for positions covered by these rules, shall give to the Office, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Special Counsel, or to their authorized representatives, all information, testimony, documents, and material in regard to the above matters, the disclosure of which is not otherwise prohibited by law or regulation.

These employees, applicants, and eligibles shall sign testimony given under oath or affirmation before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths.

Employees are performing official duty when testifying or providing evidence pursuant to this section.

RULE VI - EXCEPTIONS FROM THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE SEC. 6.1. AUTHORITY TO EXCEPT POSITIONS FROM THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE (a) The Office may except positions from the competitive service when it determines that appointments thereto through competitive examination are not practicable.

These positions shall be listed in the Office's annual report for the fiscal year in which the exceptions are made. (b) The Office shall decide whether the duties of any particular position are such that it may be filled as an excepted position under the appropriate schedule. (c) Notice of the Office's decision granting authority to make appointments to an excepted position under the appropriate schedule shall be published in the Federal Register.

SEC. 6.2. SCHEDULES OF EXCEPTED POSITIONS The Office shall list positions that it excepts from the competitive service in Schedules A, B, and C, 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 examinations as may be prescribed by the Office.

SCHEDULE C Positions of a confidential or policy-determining character shall be listed in Schedule C. SEC. 6.3. METHOD OF FILLING EXCEPTED POSITIONS AND STATUS OF INCUMBENTS (a) The head of an agency may fill excepted positions by the appointment of persons without civil service eligibility or competitive status and such persons shall not acquire competitive status by reason of such appointment: Provided, That the Office, in its discretion, may by regulation prescribe conditions under which excepted positions may be filled in the same manner as competitive positions are filled and conditions under which persons so appointed may acquire a competitive status in accordance with the Civil Service Rules and Regulations. (b) To the extent permitted by law and the provisions of this Rule, appointments and position changes in the excepted service shall be made in accordance with such regulations and practices as the head of the agency concerned finds necessary.

SEC. 6.4. REMOVAL OF INCUMBENTS OF EXCEPTED POSITIONS Except as may be required by statute, the Civil Service Rules and Regulations shall not apply to removals from positions listed in Schedules A and C 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.

SEC. 6.5. ASSIGNMENT OF EXCEPTED EMPLOYEES No person who is serving under an excepted appointment shall be assigned to the work of a position in the competitive service without prior approval of the Office.

SEC. 6.6. REVOCATION OF EXCEPTIONS The Office may remove any position from or may revoke in whole or in part any provision of Schedule A, B, or C. Notice of the Office's decision making these changes shall be published in the Federal Register.

SEC. 6.7. MOVEMENT OF PERSONS BETWEEN THE CIVIL-SERVICE SYSTEM AND OTHER MERIT SYSTEMS Whenever the Office and any Federal agency having an established merit system determine it to be in the interest of good administration and consistent with the intent of the civil-service laws and any other applicable laws, they may enter into an agreement prescribing conditions under which persons may be moved from one system to the other and defining the status and tenure that the persons affected shall acquire upon such movement.

SEC. 6.8. SPECIFIED EXCEPTIONS (a) Positions in the Department of the Interior and in the Department of Commerce whose incumbents serve as the principal representative of the Secretary in their respective regions shall be listed in Schedule C for grades not exceeding grade GS-15 of the General Schedule, and shall be designated Noncareer Executive Assignments for positions graded higher than GS-15. Incumbents of these positions who are, on February 15, 1975, in the competitive service shall not be affected by the foregoing provisions of this Section. (b) Positions in the Community Services Administration and ACTION [now Corporation for National and Community Service] whose incumbents serve as regional director or regional administrator shall be listed in Schedule C for grades not exceeding GS-15 of the General Schedule and shall be designated Noncareer Executive Assignments for positions graded higher than GS-15. Incumbents of these positions who are, on November 29, 1977, in the competitive service shall not be affected by the foregoing provisions of this subsection. (c) Within the Department of Agriculture, positions the incumbents of which serve as State Executive Directors of the Consolidated Farm Service Agency and positions the incumbents of which serve as State Directors or State Directors-at-Large for Rural Economic and Community Development shall be listed in Schedule C for all grades of the General Schedule.

RULE VII - GENERAL PROVISIONS SEC. 7.1. DISCRETION IN FILLING VACANCIES In his discretion, an appointing officer may fill any position in the competitive service either by competitive appointment from a civil-service register or by noncompetitive selection of a present or former Federal employee, in accordance with the Civil Service Regulations.

He shall exercise his discretion in all personnel actions solely on the basis of merit and fitness and without regard to political or religious affiliations, marital status, or race. SEC. 7.2. REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS The Office, whenever it determines it to be necessary, shall prescribe regulations governing the release of employees (both within the competitive service and the excepted service) by any agency in the executive branch of the Government for employment in any other agency, and governing the establishment, granting, and exercise of rights to reemployment in the agencies from which employees are released.

SEC. 7.3. CITIZENSHIP (a) No person shall be admitted to competitive examination unless such person is a citizen or national of the United States. (b) No person shall be given any appointment in the competitive service unless such person is a citizen or national of the United States. (c) The Office may, as an exception to this rule and to the extent permitted by law, authorize the appointment of aliens to positions in the competitive service when necessary to promote the efficiency of the service in specific cases or for temporary appointments.

RULE VIII - APPOINTMENTS TO OVERSEAS POSITIONS SEC. 8.1. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY OF THE OFFICE In addition to authorizing the recruitment and appointment of persons to overseas positions under regulations issued under the preceding Rules, the Office may, by the regulations prescribed by it, authorize the recruitment and appointment of persons to such positions as provided in section 2 of this Rule. As used in this Rule, "overseas positions" means positions in foreign countries and in other areas beyond the continental limits of the United States, except as provided in section 8.4 hereof.

SEC. 8.2. APPOINTMENT OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS United States citizens may be recruited overseas for appointment to overseas positions in the competitive service without regard to the competitive requirements of the Civil Service Act. Persons so recruited who meet the qualification standards and other requirements of the Office for overseas positions may be given appointments to be known as "overseas limited appointments." Such appointments shall be of temporary or indefinite duration, and shall not confer the right to acquire a competitive status.

The Office may authorize overseas limited appointments for United States citizens recruited within the continental limits of the United States whenever it determines that it is not feasible to appoint from a civil-service register.

Persons serving under appointments made pursuant to this section are hereby excluded from the operation of the Civil Service Retirement Act of May 29, 1930, as amended [section 8301 et seq. of this title], unless eligible for retirement benefits by continuity of service or otherwise.

SEC. 8.3. APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS NOT CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES Persons who are not citizens of the United States may be recruited overseas and appointed to overseas positions without regard to the Civil Service Act. SEC. 8.4. POSITIONS EXCEPTED FROM THE APPLICATION OF THIS RULE This Rule shall not apply to positions in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Alaska, and on the Isthmus of Panama.

RULE IX - WORKFORCE INFORMATION 9.1 DEFINITION As used in this rule, "Executive agency" means an Executive department, a Government corporation, and an independent establishment, as those terms are defined in chapter 1 of title 5, United States Code, but does not include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency [now National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency], the National Security Agency, and, as determined by the President, any Executive agency or unit within an Executive agency which has as its principal function the conduct of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence activities. 9.2 REPORTING WORKFORCE INFORMATION The Director of the Office of Personnel Management may require all Executive agencies to report information relating to civilian employees, including positions and employees in the competitive, excepted, and Senior Executive services, in a manner and at times prescribed by the Director.

The Director shall establish standards for workforce information submissions under this section, and agencies shall ensure that their submissions meet these standards consistent with the Privacy Act [5 U.S.C. 552a]. The Director may exempt from this section a specific agency or group of employees when the Director determines that an exemption is appropriate because of special circumstances.

RULE X - AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS; OPM AUTHORITY TO REVIEW PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS 10.1 DEFINITIONS For purposes of this rule - (a) "agency" means an Executive agency as defined in Rule IX, but does not include a Government corporation or the General Accounting Office; and (b) "merit system principles" means the principles for Federal personnel management that are set forth in section 2301(b) of title 5, United States Code. 10.2. ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS The Director of the Office of Personnel Management may require an agency to establish and maintain a system of accountability for merit system principles that (1) sets standards for applying the merit system principles, (2) measures the agency's effectiveness in meeting these standards, and (3) corrects any deficiencies in meeting these standards.

10.3. OPM AUTHORITY TO REVIEW PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES The Office of Personnel Management may review the human resources management programs and practices of any agency and report to the head of the agency and the President on the effectiveness of these programs and practices, including whether they are consistent with the merit system principles. [Revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 12748, Feb. 1, 1991, 56 F.R. 4521.] PART II - SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR TRANSITION FROM INDEFINITE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM TO CAREER-CONDITIONAL APPOINTMENT SYSTEM -MISC2- SEC. 201 (a) Under such conditions as the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe, all employees serving under indefinite appointments in the competitive service on the effective date of this order who were appointed by selection in regular order from appropriate competitive civil-service registers established subsequent to February 4, 1946, shall, as of the effective date of this order, have their appointments converted to career-conditional appointments if they have had less than three years of creditable service, and to career appointments if they have had three or more years of such service since they were appointed: Provided, That any such employees who left their positions prior to the effective date of this order to enter the armed forces of the United States and are reemployed in the competitive service after the effective date of this order pursuant to application for employment made within ninety days after honorable discharge, or after hospitalization continuing after discharge for not more than one year, shall have their former indefinite appointments converted to career-conditional or career appointments in accordance with this section: Provided further, That employees serving in excepted positions who would meet the conditions for career-conditional or career appointments if they were serving in competitive positions shall be granted competitive status upon completion of a probationary period. (b) The Office may prescribe the conditions under which employees who are serving under indefinite appointments in the competitive service on the effective date of this order and who were not appointed by selection in regular order from competitive civil-service registers may be examined and have their names entered on existing competitive civil-service registers.

When such employees are within reach for appointment from such registers they shall be eligible for career-conditional appointments if, since they were given indefinite appointments, they have had less than three years of creditable service, and for career appointments if they have had three or more years of such service. (c) All employees in the competitive service who on the effective date of this order are serving under indefinite appointments made noncompetitively based upon prior service with a competitive status shall, as of the effective date of this order, have their appointments converted to career-conditional appointments if they have had less than three years of creditable service and to career appointments if they have had three or more years of such service under either permanent or indefinite appointment: Provided, That any such employees who left their positions prior to the effective date of this order to enter the armed forces of the United States and are reemployed in the competitive service after the effective date of this order pursuant to application for employment made within ninety days after honorable discharge, or after hospitalization continuing after discharge for not more than one year, shall have their former indefinite appointments converted to career-conditional or career appointments in accordance with this section: Provided further, That any such employees in the field service of the Post Office Department whose salary rates are fixed by the act of July 6, 1945, 59 Stat. 435, as heretofore or hereafter amended and supplemented, shall have their appointments converted to career appointments if they are serving in positions in the authorized complement of permanent positions (consisting of regular positions and positions within the authorized quota of substitutes). (d) The Office shall define "creditable service" and shall prescribe the conditions for completion of the period of creditable service required for career appointment. (e) Except as provided in section 201(c) hereof, this section shall not apply to employees serving under indefinite appointments in the field service of the Post Office Department whose salary rates are fixed by the act of July 6, 1945, 59 Stat. 435, as heretofore or hereafter amended and supplemented.

SEC. 202 (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 201(a) of this order, and subject to such noncompetitive examination or other requirements as the Office may prescribe, any employee entitled to veteran preference who has a compensable service-connected disability of ten per centum or more may, upon recommendation of the agency concerned, noncompetitively acquire a competitive status subject to completion of a probationary period: Provided, That he is serving under an indefinite appointment, a temporary appointment pending establishment of a register, or a temporary appointment for job employment which has been continuous for more than one year: Provided further, That recommendation for acquisition of status under this section is made not later than December 31, 1957. (b) Any employee who is recommended for noncompetitive acquisition of competitive status under section 202(a) hereof and who satisfies the noncompetitive examination and other requirements of the Office shall have the appointment under which he is serving converted to a career appointment if he has completed a probationary period or to a career-conditional appointment if he has not completed a probationary period.

The career-conditional appointment of such an employee shall be converted to a career appointment upon completion of probation. (c) An employee in the field service of the Post Office Department whose salary rate is fixed by the act of July 6, 1945, 59 Stat. 435, as heretofore or hereafter amended and supplemented, may not be recommended for competitive status under section 202(a) hereof unless he can be appointed to a vacancy in the authorized complement of permanent positions (consisting of regular positions and positions within the authorized quota of substitutes). When such an employee is recommended for noncompetitive acquisition of competitive status and satisfies the noncompetitive examination and other requirements of the Office, his appointment shall be converted to a career appointment subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period.

SEC. 203 The career-conditional appointment of any employee entitled to veteran preference who has a compensable service-connected disability of ten per centum or more may be converted to a career appointment: Provided, That he received his career-conditional appointment prior to January 1, 1958, and that, not later than December 31, 1958, the agency in which he is employed recommends such conversion and certifies to the Office that he has satisfactorily completed a one-year probationary period: Provided further, That any such employee who is not certified for career appointment under this section shall have his career-conditional appointment converted to a career appointment when he has completed the service requirement for such appointment prescribed under section 2.2(a) of Civil Service Rule II. SEC. 204 In order to effectuate the purposes of section 1310 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1952 (65 Stat. 757), as amended [set out as a note under section 3101 of this title], the Office shall, after consultation with the agencies concerned, determine the division of allowable permanent appointments within and between the excepted service and the competitive service.

SEC. 205 The Office shall issue such regulations and instructions as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this part.

Sec. 201

  (a) Under such conditions as the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe, all employees serving under indefinite appointments in the competitive service on the effective date of this order who were appointed by selection in regular order from appropriate competitive civil-service registers established subsequent to February 4, 1946, shall, as of the effective date of this order, have their appointments converted to career-conditional appointments if they have had less than three years of creditable service, and to career appointments if they have had three or more years of such service since they were appointed: Provided, That any such employees who left their positions prior to the effective date of this order to enter the armed forces of the United States and are reemployed in the competitive service after the effective date of this order pursuant to application for employment made within ninety days after honorable discharge, or after hospitalization continuing after discharge for not more than one year, shall have their former indefinite appointments converted to career-conditional or career appointments in accordance with this section: Provided further, That employees serving in excepted positions who would meet the conditions for career-conditional or career appointments if they were serving in competitive positions shall be granted competitive status upon completion of a probationary period. (b) The Office may prescribe the conditions under which employees who are serving under indefinite appointments in the competitive service on the effective date of this order and who were not appointed by selection in regular order from competitive civil-service registers may be examined and have their names entered on existing competitive civil-service registers.

When such employees are within reach for appointment from such registers they shall be eligible for career-conditional appointments if, since they were given indefinite appointments, they have had less than three years of creditable service, and for career appointments if they have had three or more years of such service. (c) All employees in the competitive service who on the effective date of this order are serving under indefinite appointments made noncompetitively based upon prior service with a competitive status shall, as of the effective date of this order, have their appointments converted to career-conditional appointments if they have had less than three years of creditable service and to career appointments if they have had three or more years of such service under either permanent or indefinite appointment: Provided, That any such employees who left their positions prior to the effective date of this order to enter the armed forces of the United States and are reemployed in the competitive service after the effective date of this order pursuant to application for employment made within ninety days after honorable discharge, or after hospitalization continuing after discharge for not more than one year, shall have their former indefinite appointments converted to career-conditional or career appointments in accordance with this section: Provided further, That any such employees in the field service of the Post Office Department whose salary rates are fixed by the act of July 6, 1945, 59 Stat. 435, as heretofore or hereafter amended and supplemented, shall have their appointments converted to career appointments if they are serving in positions in the authorized complement of permanent positions (consisting of regular positions and positions within the authorized quota of substitutes). (d) The Office shall define "creditable service" and shall prescribe the conditions for completion of the period of creditable service required for career appointment. (e) Except as provided in section 201(c) hereof, this section shall not apply to employees serving under indefinite appointments in the field service of the Post Office Department whose salary rates are fixed by the act of July 6, 1945, 59 Stat. 435, as heretofore or hereafter amended and supplemented.

SEC. 202 (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 201(a) of this order, and subject to such noncompetitive examination or other requirements as the Office may prescribe, any employee entitled to veteran preference who has a compensable service-connected disability of ten per centum or more may, upon recommendation of the agency concerned, noncompetitively acquire a competitive status subject to completion of a probationary period: Provided, That he is serving under an indefinite appointment, a temporary appointment pending establishment of a register, or a temporary appointment for job employment which has been continuous for more than one year: Provided further, That recommendation for acquisition of status under this section is made not later than December 31, 1957. (b) Any employee who is recommended for noncompetitive acquisition of competitive status under section 202(a) hereof and who satisfies the noncompetitive examination and other requirements of the Office shall have the appointment under which he is serving converted to a career appointment if he has completed a probationary period or to a career-conditional appointment if he has not completed a probationary period.

The career-conditional appointment of such an employee shall be converted to a career appointment upon completion of probation. (c) An employee in the field service of the Post Office Department whose salary rate is fixed by the act of July 6, 1945, 59 Stat. 435, as heretofore or hereafter amended and supplemented, may not be recommended for competitive status under section 202(a) hereof unless he can be appointed to a vacancy in the authorized complement of permanent positions (consisting of regular positions and positions within the authorized quota of substitutes). When such an employee is recommended for noncompetitive acquisition of competitive status and satisfies the noncompetitive examination and other requirements of the Office, his appointment shall be converted to a career appointment subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period.

SEC. 203 The career-conditional appointment of any employee entitled to veteran preference who has a compensable service-connected disability of ten per centum or more may be converted to a career appointment: Provided, That he received his career-conditional appointment prior to January 1, 1958, and that, not later than December 31, 1958, the agency in which he is employed recommends such conversion and certifies to the Office that he has satisfactorily completed a one-year probationary period: Provided further, That any such employee who is not certified for career appointment under this section shall have his career-conditional appointment converted to a career appointment when he has completed the service requirement for such appointment prescribed under section 2.2(a) of Civil Service Rule II. SEC. 204 In order to effectuate the purposes of section 1310 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1952 (65 Stat. 757), as amended [set out as a note under section 3101 of this title], the Office shall, after consultation with the agencies concerned, determine the division of allowable permanent appointments within and between the excepted service and the competitive service.

SEC. 205 The Office shall issue such regulations and instructions as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this part.

Sec. 301

The following-described executive orders and parts of executive orders are hereby revoked: Part II of Executive Order No. 9830 of February 24, 1947, amending the Civil Service Rules: Provided, That the positions listed in Schedules A, B, and C as provided for in Civil Service Rule VI of that order, as amended, shall be considered as being listed in Schedules A, B, and C, respectively, as provided for in Civil Service Rule VI of this order, unless and until they are removed therefrom by the Office.

Executive Orders No. 9973 of June 28, 1948, No. 10440 of March 31, 1953, and No. 10463 of June 25, 1953, amending Civil Service Rule VI. Executive Order No. 10180 of November 13, 1950, establishing special personnel procedures in the interest of national defense.

Sec. 401

This order shall become effective on the first Sunday after the sixtieth day after the date hereof.

Section Referred To In Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 3304, 3361 of this title; title 25 section 2a.