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By: FEDweek StaffAgencies make more than nine-tenths of excepted service hires using just 11 of the more than 100 hiring authorities outside competitive service procedures, and some are used only rarely, OPM has said in what it called its first thorough review of those authorities in more than 40 years.
“Agencies may be unaware that some of these authorities exist; however, the non-use and low use of a significant number of excepted service legal authorities suggests it might be useful to explore ways to streamline the current authorities, where appropriate, as they may have become ineffective or obsolete. OPM also found some hiring authorities have similar purposes, which may indicate additional opportunities for streamlining,” a report said.
It said, for example, that there are nine separate special hiring authorities related to the Pathways Program, five involving fellowship type programs, five involving reemployment rights, and between two and four each on matters including hiring of those with disabilities, consultants, and the SES.
It concluded that certain authorities are being used as designed to meet hiring goals, citing increases in the use of the Veterans Recruitment Appointment authority and an authority for hiring those with certain severe disabilities. Overall, it added, over the last 20 years the share of the federal workforce in the excepted service has grown from 19 to 30 percent.
“However, the complexities inherent in excepted service hiring make it important for hiring managers and human resources professionals to understand the nuances of the excepted service in order to take advantage of the flexibilities it provides. Agency usage patterns and hiring practices suggest knowledge gaps exist in this area, which possibly create barriers to a more effective use of excepted service hiring authorities,” it said.
OPM also found many agencies do not have policies in place or their policies do not sufficiently cover important aspects of how authorities are to be implemented: only 56 percent have a policy on handling applications for excepted service hiring, as required; only 40 percent have policies regarding how to apply priority reemployment rights for certain individuals; and only half have a documented process for affording veterans’ preference in excepted service hiring.
