8 Sep 2025

📋New Merit-Based Hiring Regulations Impact Federal Employment Practices

Reinvigorating Merit-Based Hiring Through Candidate Ranking in the Competitive and Excepted Service (Rule of Many)

Summary

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing this final rule to implement changes authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019 governing the selection of candidates from competitive lists of eligibles. These changes are meant to encourage the use of rigorous, merit-based candidate rankings when hiring in the competitive and excepted service. They also provide expanded flexibility to agencies in the selection of candidates under delegated examining procedures. These changes also affect how agencies select candidates for excepted service appointments.

Agencies

  • Personnel Management Office

Business Impact ?

$$$ - High

The rule enhances merit-based hiring practices for Federal employees, which directly affects compliance and regulatory requirements for business owners involved in government contracting or hiring practices. Changes in candidate selection processes impact how businesses may need to adapt to new standards in federal hiring, affecting recruitment and potential partnership strategies with federal agencies.

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