An administrative action that places a person on the staff of an agency. You are 'hired' or 'appointed' to a job in the federal government and there are several types of appointment.
The group of people that an agency will accept applications from to fill a job. This may include a specific location or whether the applicant is a current federal employee, current federal employee working for a specific agency or the public.
A special form of premium pay fixed at 25 percent of basic pay (including locality pay) that applies to criminal investigators who are required to work, or be available to work, substantial amounts of unscheduled overtime duty based on the needs of the employing agency. Criminal investigators receiving availability pay are exempt from the minimum wage and overtime pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and may not receive administratively uncontrollable overtime pay.
The time period when an employee is not on an agency payroll.
The type of appointment an employee receives after working for the Federal Government for three years.
A list of eligible and qualified applicants created for the hiring manager. Also known as Referral List.
Positions that follow the civil service laws passed by Congress to make sure that applicants and employees receive fair and equal treatment in the hiring process. In the competitive service, applicants must go through the Office of Personnel Management's thorough application and hiring process. This process may consist of a written test, an evaluation of the individual's education and experience, and/or an evaluation of other attributes necessary for successful performance in the position to be filled.
One of three services in the Federal Government. A job in the competitive service follows the civil service laws passed by Congress and the Office of Personnel Management's thorough application and hiring process.
A persons basic eligibility for assignment to a position in the competitive service without having to compete with members of the general public in an open competitive examination.Once acquired, status belongs to the individual, not a to a position.
Employment that can be used to meet the requirements of a job or benefits like leave accrual or retention during a Reduction In Force (RIF). This can be federal employment or service in the United States Armed Forces.
The DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, generally referred to as a "DD 214", is a document of the United States Department of Defense, issued upon a military service member's retirement, separation, or discharge from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, e.g., U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, or U.S. Navy.
The competitive application and hiring process an agency uses to hire someone who has never worked for the Federal Government. A job that says it's Open to the public will use the delegated examining hiring process.
A temporary assignment in a different job with a specified time period. The employee will return to their job when the detail ends.
An expedited recruiting process that agencies can use to fill jobs in occupations that are hard to fill or currently have a shortage.
A person who has an existing service-connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension because of a public statute administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs or a military department.
Earning a salary for working more than 40 hours in a week from more than one government agency.
The city/town, county, and state where the employee works.
Federal or civil service jobs not in the competitive service or the Senior Executive Service. Excepted service jobs don't have to follow the same hiring process or requirements as the competitive service (by law, Executive Order, or OPM regulation). Excepted service agencies set their own qualification requirements and are not subject to the appointment, pay, and classification rules in title 5, United States Code.
One of many pay systems in the Federal Government. A general schedule (GS) pay grade is a rate of basic pay based on the specific level of work or range of difficulty, responsibility, and qualifications.
Refers to the General Schedule (GS) pay scale - it's the pay level for the job. The higher the grade level, the higher the pay.
A temporary job without a specific time limitation. This appointment does not count towards permanent tenure and can be terminated at any time.
Pay that is added to an employee's basic pay and is directly related to the location of the job.
A system where current federal employees compete for an open job and are rated and ranked based on their experience, education, competencies and performance. Also known as Merit Staffing Program.
Authority to appoint a military spouse without competition when filling competitive service positions on a temporary (not to exceed 1 year), term (more than 1 year but not more than 4 years), or permanent basis. The authority does not guarantee spouses placement in a position over any other applicant. Military spouses are eligible under this authority if the active duty military spouse: 1) receives a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move; 2) has a 100% disability rating; or 3) died while on active duty. Each of these categories has different eligibility criteria that must be met.
The information collected on this form is used to determine your acceptability for Federal and Federal contract employment and your enrollment status in the Government's Life Insurance program. You may be asked to complete this form at any time during the hiring process. Follow instructions that the agency provides. You may view a copy of the form
The Pathways program consists of three programs; the Internship Program, the Recent Graduates Program and the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program. These programs help to recruit, hire, develop, and retain students and recent graduates.
A job that does not have a pre-determined end date.
A hiring process that may help Veterans get a job with the Federal Government. Learn more about Veterans' Preference.
Veterans, and spouses, widows and parents of a deceased or disabled veteran who meet the requirements in 5 U.S.C. 2108
Additional pay for overtime, nights, weekends or holidays
A specified period of time in which an agency validates an employee's competencies and their fit for the position.
A payment made to a new employee who has been hired to fill a hard-to-fill position. A recruitment bonus may not exceed 25 percent of the employee's annual rate of basic pay in effect at the beginning of the service period multiplied by the number of years (including fractions of a year) in the service period (not to exceed 4 years). With OPM approval, this cap may be increased to 50 percent (based on a critical agency need), as long as the total incentive does not exceed 100 percent of the employee's annual rate of basic pay at the beginning of the service period. (See 5 CFR 575.109(c).) The incentive may be paid as an initial lump-sum payment at the beginning of the service period, in installments throughout the service period, as a final-lump sum payment upon completion of the service period, or in a combination of these methods. An incentive may be paid to an individual not yet employed who has received a written offer of employment and signed a written service agreement. Recruitment incentive fact sheet
A one-time payment to a current federal employee who relocates to accept a hard-fill position. A relocation incentive may not exceed 25 percent of the employee's annual rate of basic pay in effect at the beginning of the service period multiplied by the number of years (including fractions of a year) in the service period (not to exceed 4 years). With OPM approval, this cap may be raised to 50 percent (based on a critical agency need), as long as the total incentive does not exceed 100 percent of the employee's annual rate of basic pay at the beginning of the service period. (See 5 CFR 575.209(c).) The incentive may be paid as an initial lump-sum payment at the beginning of the service period, in installments throughout the service period, as a final lump-sum payment upon completion of the service period, or in a combination of these methods. The agency may not pay a relocation incentive until the employee establishes a residence in the new geographic area. Relocation incentive fact sheet
A hiring authority used to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. There are two authorities under Schedule A: 1) Schedule A, 5 CFR 213.3102(u), for hiring people with severe physical disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. This excepted authority is used to appoint persons with severe physical disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. Such individuals may qualify for conversion to permanent status after two years of satisfactory service. Severe physical disabilities include but are not limited to blindness, deafness, paralysis, missing limbs, epilepsy, dwarfism, and more. 2) Schedule A, 5 CFR 213.3102(11) for hiring readers, interpreters, and personal assistants. This excepted authority is used to appoint readers, interpreters, and personal assistants for employees with severe disabilities as reasonable accommodations.
Applies to jobs and situations for which it is impractical to rate applicants using competitive procedures. However, under Schedule B, applicants must meet the qualification standards for the job. For example, Schedule B includes hiring for the Student Temporary Employment Program, the Student Career Experience Program, and the Federal Career Intern Program. Only students qualify for student programs; it is not practical to use competitive procedures for them.
An annually recurring job that may last six months or more in one year.
The Senior Executive Service (SES) consists of executive positions, including managerial, supervisory, and policy positions classified above General Schedule (GS) grade 15 or equivalent positions in most Executive Branch agencies of the Federal Government. Learn more about the Senior Executive Service
Work experience that is directly related to the work to be performed in a job.
The SF-15 is used by Federal agencies and OPM examining offices to adjudicate an individual's claims for Veterans' preference. Veterans and certain family members who claim 10-point preference must fill out and submit the SF-15, to include supporting documentation when applying for Federal positions.
A form created by an administrative office within your agency that documents changes to your personnel record such as grade, salary, series and place of duty. The name of the form is "Notification of Personnel Action"
A career or career-conditional employee in the competitive service who has received notice that their job has been eliminated from their agency. A person hired under Schedule A or B in the excepted service are also considered surplus employees, if they are in a permanent position and have received the appropriate notice. Selection priority for these employees is limited to other permanent Schedule A or B positions in the same agency and local commuting area
Temporary appointments have a set time-limit and include the following:
Detail - A temporary assignment to another job. You must be a current federal employee to apply to detail jobs. Intermittent - Occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady. Term - A job that may last one to four years. Term appointments may be used for project work, extraordinary workload, scheduled cancellation of a position, reorganization, uncertainty of future funding, or contracting out of the function. Temporary - A job that will last no longer than one year. Seasonal - An annually recurring job that may last six months or more in one year. Summer - A job available during the summer months and is usually for students.
A job that may last one to four years. Term appointments may be used for project work, extraordinary workload, scheduled cancellation of a position, reorganization, uncertainty of future funding, or contracting out of the function.
An employees work schedule which indicates the days and hours an employee is required to work.
A special hiring authority that allows veterans to apply for jobs that are only open to current federal employees in the competitive service.
A hiring preference given to honorably discharged veterans and military retirees who are a disabled veteran or retired below the rank of major or its equivalent. Learn more about Veterans' Preference.
A hiring authority used in the excepted service that allows agencies to appoint eligible veterans without competition if the veteran has received a campaign badge for service during a war or in a campaign or expedition; or is a disabled veteran; or has received an Armed Forces Service Medal for participation in a military operation; or has separated from the military within the last 3 years a and separated under honorable conditions. Appointments under this authority may be made at any grade level up to and including a GS-11 or equivalent. This is an excepted service appointment, which can be converted to competitive service after 2 years.
Eligibility
You're eligible if you're a current federal employee at the hiring agency.
How do I know if a job is open internally?
In the job announcement look for the This job is open to section. When the job is open to current employees of the agency, you'll see the internal icon .
There may be other groups listed that can also apply. Jobs are sometimes open internally only and sometimes internally as well as being open to other hiring paths. This is up to the agency's discretion.
You can also select the Internal to an agency filter in search. Your results will display all jobs open to current employees of the hiring agency.
