OPM has long required agencies to seek its approval before selecting a political appointee for a competitive service position during a Presidential election year, but beginning in January agencies must now seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level, according to an OPM memo.
It said OPM would review all such appointments to ensure they comply with merit system principles and applicable civil service laws.
OPM director John Berry said decision-making authority on these matters will be delegated to career senior executives.
According to the memo, agencies may not appoint a political schedule A or C executive schedule employee who held the position within the last five years to a competitive or non-political excepted service position under Title 5 of the U.S. Code.
They also may not appoint a non-career SES employee who held the position within the last five years to a competitive or non-political excepted service position.
OPM will continue to conduct merit staffing reviews for all proposed career SES selections involving a political schedule A, schedule C, or non-career SES political appointee before the SES selections are presented to OPM’s qualifications review board for certification.
OPM has also issued pre-appointment checklists to be submitted along with appointment requests.
