2016-28782: Recruitment, Selection, and Placement (General) and Suitability

Summary

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule revising its regulations pertaining to when, during the hiring process, a hiring agency can request information typically collected during a background investigation from an applicant for Federal employment. OPM is making this change to promote compliance with Merit System Principles as well as the goals of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council and the President's Memorandum of January 31, 2014, "Enhancing Safeguards to Prevent the Undue Denial of Federal Employment Opportunities to the Unemployed and Those Facing Financial Difficulty Through No Fault of Their Own." In addition, the final rule will help agencies comply with the President's Memorandum of April 29, 2016, "Promoting Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals." The intended effect of this rule is to encourage more individuals with the requisite knowledge, skills, and ability to apply for Federal positions by making it more clear that the Government provides a fair opportunity to compete for Federal employment to applicants from all segments of society, including those with prior criminal histories or who have experienced financial difficulty through no fault of their own.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 2 parts of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 5 CFR 330 Recruitment, Selection, and Placement (General)
• 5 CFR 731 Suitability and Fitness