The Office of Personnel Management has published interim rules-effective immediately, although comments are being accepted-carrying out several government-wide changes in hiring and other authorities contained in last year’s law creating the Homeland Security Department. The major change, as outlined in the Federal Register June 13, allows agencies to use “category ranking” instead of the “rule of three” in hiring decisions. In category ranking, an agency may group candidates in broad classes-such as not qualified, minimally qualified or exceptionally qualified-and hire from anyone in that category, with veterans getting the first chance, rather than create a numeric ranking that results in only the top three candidates being considered for a vacancy. The rules also allow agencies to directly hire candidates without using either type of ranking system if they can make a case to OPM that they are suffering a severe shortage of candidates or a have a critical need to fill positions that normal recruiting procedures aren’t solving. Another change loosens the restrictions on agencies paying for employees to get job-related academic degrees.