Federal Manager's Daily Report

The recent OPM memo on hiring for positions to respond to the Zika virus represents the latest in a string of messages to agencies encouraging use of alternative hiring practices that shortcut standard hiring processes.

Emphasis on such alternatives has traditionally been seen by many managers and outside experts as a tacit admission that the basic hiring process is too slow and burdensome, both for applicants and for agencies needing to fill vacancies, especially those arising on short notice or in hard to fill positions.

The latest memo fits the former category, granting “direct hire” authority to fill positions such as medical officers and nurses at State, microbiologists and epidemiologists at HHS, and emergency management and IT specialists at AID.

In the category of using alternatives to fill high-demand jobs was a separate recent memo reminding agencies of authorities available for hiring into IT positions, and in particular cybersecurity positions. Those include existing government-wide direct hire authority for series GS-2210 positions at grades 9-15, excepted service authority for certain temporary positions, authority to hire experts and consultants for temporary or intermittent type work, and several agency-specific authorities at agencies including DoD and DHS.

Separately, OPM recently told agencies they can waive limits on recruitment, retention and relocation incentive payments for similar purposes.