- General experience is usually required at grade levels (i.e., GS-2 to GS-4) where the knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of a specific position are not a prerequisite, but where applicants must have demonstrated the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills.
- Specialized experience is typically required for positions above the entry level where applicants must have demonstrated that they possess the ability to perform successfully the duties of a position after a normal orientation period. Specialized experience is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
- Describing experience in job announcements-- The following factors must be applied when describing experience in job announcements:
- Since a published OPM qualification standard may cover hundreds of positions in dozens of organizations, it must be broad enough to cover the range of work classified to the occupational series. Therefore, agencies and examining offices must clearly describe the specific experience or education required to qualify for the positions covered by an examination or job announcement. This will better attract applicants with appropriate qualifications to agencies, thereby greatly improving the effectiveness of the examination process.
- The description of qualifying general experience will vary in its degree of specificity from one series to another. For some occupational series, any progressively responsible work experience may be qualifying. Others may require experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupational series. For example, an entry level medical technician position may require general experience that provided a basic knowledge of the procedures and equipment in a chemical or clinical laboratory. The proper analysis of work to determine the KSAs/competencies needed to perform the work successfully is essential (Delegated Examining Operations Handbook,Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, Section C – Create a Job Opportunity Announcement).
- A position classification standard, job analysis, and position description are needed to completely account for the duties and responsibilities typical of work in an occupational series or position. An accurate and properly classified position description and the appropriate position classification standard provides information related to the duties and responsibilities typical of work in an occupational series or position. This information is useful in the staffing process in identifying specialized experience U.S. Office of Personnel Management General Schedule Operating Manual 13 requirements and also in determining the level of experience possessed by applicants.
- Determining level of experience -- Most qualification standards require that a certain amount of the qualifying experience be at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the next lower or second lower grade. The grade-level criteria in the position classification standard or guide help in making this determination,particularly for applicants with experience outside the Federal Government.
- Identifying specialized experience -- As indicated in (b) above,many qualification standards describe specialized experience as experience "related to the work of the position." This is to allow agencies to pinpoint the specific requirements in the job announcements for their positions. For example, to meet the specialized experience requirements for a medical technician position, the applicant would likely be required to have specific duties such as preparing culture media and stains and performing certain laboratory tests. The description of duties and responsibilities contained in the position classification standard,along with the position description, help in identifying the kinds of work experience that would meet this requirement. In addition, the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)/competencies required to perform the work can also be described along with the appropriate proficiency levels from a job analysis (Delegated Examining Operations Handbook, Chapter 3, Section C – Create a Job Opportunity Announcement).
- If the standard distinguishes between general and specialized experience,general experience cannot be credited as specialized experience. However, specialized experience can be credited as general experience.
- Applicants who meet the experience requirements for a higher-grade level in a given series also meet the experience requirements for lower grades in the same series.
- Titles, military ranks and/or salary/pay rates are not used in conjunction with the evaluation of specialized experience to meet minimum qualifications for a position when agencies evaluate the equivalency of previous positions to federal qualifications. The work actually performed by the applicant must be reviewed and evaluated to determine equivalency to a grade.
- Unpaid/volunteer work must also be evaluated using the same criteria. Experience for which the applicant received little or no pay is given the same credit as comparable paid experience.
- Federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. However, experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence (e.g., a memorandum from the manager or human resources director, SF-52, or other documentation).Similarly, experience gained in the Federal service under a misassign mentor improper appointment is given the same credit as experience under a proper appointment if the applicant submits satisfactory evidence to substantiate his/her claim.
- Appropriate experience gained while on detail or in "mixed-grade" or"mixed-series" positions is creditable when satisfactorily documented. Credit is given for the percentage of time that the applicant spent on the qualifying duties. Also see paragraph (l) on crediting experience gained on detail, and 10 on crediting supervisory experience.
- An employee whose position is upgraded as a result of a reclassification is considered to meet the qualification requirements of the upgraded position, since he or she has been performing the higher-graded work. However, employees must meet any licensure or certification requirements, as well as any minimum educational requirements or the provisions in section 9(e).
- In most occupations, the normal full-time work week is 35-40 hours, and the normal work year is 12 months. Employees are not expected to work during scheduled days off, holidays, or normal vacation periods.
- In occupations where the normal work year is less than the calendar year,e.g., teaching, an applicant who works the prevailing work year should be credited with a full year of required experience unless the applicable standard specifies otherwise. An applicant who receives a full year's credit for less than 12 months of actual work cannot gain additional credit for doing more of the same work in the remaining months (e.g., for teaching in summer school). However, credit can be given for any applicable experience gained in a different type of work, but no more than 1 year of experience can be credited for any 12-month period.
- Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience. For example, an employee working 20 hours per week for a 12-month period should be credited with 6 months of experience. Creditable experience should generally be determined on the basis of hours in a pay status (excluding overtime) rather than scheduled hours in order to recognize the service of part-time employees who frequently are required to work additional straight-time hours. Applicants who have the same amount of experience should generally receive the same credit. For example, a seasonal employee who worked full time for 9 months a year and a part-time employee who worked 30 hours a week for a year would receive the same credit. However, as stated in paragraph (d), agencies should ensure that the quality of an applicant's experience clearly demonstrates the KSAs/competencies necessary to perform the work of the position to be filled. Agencies should be careful in totaling small segments of time worked to ensure that they materially add to a person's qualifications, e.g., that substantive knowledge or skills have been gained.
- Employees who entered military duty or who sustained compensable injuries on the job while serving under a career or career-conditional appointment will receive credit for experience on a different basis. See 5CFR 353, Restoration to Duty from Uniformed Service or Compensable Injury. (Also see paragraph (k) on Military experience, that follows, to determine how to credit military leave as experience.)
Instances may occur where applicants worked significantly less than their scheduled hours. For example, applicants may have been employed normally on a full-time, part-time, or seasonal basis, but took extended leave. In such instances, it would be reasonable to evaluate any significant consecutive period of leave (e.g., 35 workdays or more in a year) to determine whether it effectively reduces the applicant's qualifications for a position.
- General experience -- Credit may be given for general experience gained concurrently in more than one position depending on its applicability. If the experience meets the requirements of the standard, credit should be given for the time, excluding overtime, worked in each position. However, credit can be given for only 1 year of experience for any 12-month period. For example, a person who worked full time in each of two clerical positions for over 6 months during a 12-month period, performing duties comparable to the GS-3 level, can only be credited with a year of general clerical experience.
- Specialized Experience -- Concurrent, straight-time experience in a second position can be credited towards meeting specialized experience requirements only if it contributes significantly to the applicant's possession of the specific KSAs/competencies required for the position to be filled. However, credit may be given for only 1 year of qualifying experience for any 12-month period.
- Extension of prior civilian experience -- Creditable military service can be counted as an extension of the work the individual was engaged in immediately prior to entry into service ("Immediately prior to" is defined as within the 90-day period preceding entry into military service). In instances where an individual accepted fill-in employment while awaiting induction,he or she is considered as having been employed in his or her regular occupation "immediately prior to" entry into military service, if the period off ill-in employment did not exceed 90 days. In crediting time spent in military service as an extension of time spent in civilian occupations, military service can be credited either as an extension of the regular employment or of the fill-in employment, whichever is more advantageous to the individual. All military experience evaluated on this basis will be credited at the same level of difficulty and responsibility as the prior civilian experience.
- Military experience on its own merits -- If the actual military experience is to be evaluated for credit, it is particularly important that it is evaluated on the basis of the duties performed, rather than on the basis of the military rank of the individual.
- Conventional/Accredited Institutions — At the time the education was obtained, the entire institution, applicable school within the institution, or the applicable curriculum was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Military schools or military educational programs that meet this criterion are also acceptable. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education web site at http://www.ed.gov. A complete listing of all institutions accredited by recognized agencies,including those located outside of U.S. territories may be found in Accredited Institutions of Post-Secondary Education, a handbook published annually by the American Council on Education (ACE).Institutions located within the United States that have attained accreditation as well as recognized accrediting agencies are listed on the U.S. Department of Education web site at http://www.ed.gov.
- Correspondence or distance learning course work is also acceptable if the applicable school within the institution or applicable curriculum is accredited by an accrediting body that is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. The distance learning courses should indicate the credit hours for each course and be indicated on the degree transcript together with traditional course work and credits.
- Pre-Accredited/Candidate for Accreditation Status — At the time that the education was obtained, the entire institution, applicable school within the institution, or applicable curriculum had acquired "preaccreditation" or "candidate for accreditation status" that is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
- Exceptions: Preaccredited or Candidate for Accreditation status is not acceptable for the following Federal programs:
- Student Loan Repayments; or
- Academic Degree Training.
For the above programs, the institutions must be fully accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education at the time the education was obtained.
- Foreign education [see paragraph (c) below];
- Non-accredited military education or schools;
- Continuing education units; or
- Academic credit for work or life experience.
Non-Accredited/Other Education may be considered during the rating/ranking process when evaluating qualified job applicants who already meet minimum qualification standards. Such education may not, however, be used to meet minimum education requirements, unless it meets one of the following criteria with respect to a college, university, or institution accredited as described in (a) above:
- The specific courses have been accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or institution because they would be creditable if the student were to further his or her education at that institution.
- The academic credit earned through a special credit program such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) has been awarded by an accredited college, university, or institution.
- An accredited college, university, or institution has identified the course work area(s) or courses for which credit was given for life experience. There must be a direct link between credits given and the course objectives or syllabus, i.e., the course and the life experience must be comparable in nature, content, and level. Life experience credit for courses that are not identified in its course catalog as part of a college or university's curriculum is not acceptable, unless the college or university is giving credit for course work that is a prerequisite for more advanced courses included in its curriculum.
- An accredited U.S. university or college reports the other institutionas one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at that university or college.
Education or training that cannot be accepted under the above criteria may still be valuable and may be considered in the ranking process when evaluating an applicant's overall qualifications for a position.
- The type of education received by the applicant;
- The level of education in relation to the U.S. education system, and state that its comparability recommendations follow the general guidelines of the International Education Standards Council;
- The content of the applicant's educational program earned abroad and the standard obtained;
- The status of the awarding foreign school's recognition and legitimacy in its home country's education system; and
- Any other information of interest such as what the evaluation service did to obtain this information, the qualifications of thee valuator, and any indications as to other problems such as forgery.
Foreign credential evaluations that do not contain the above information or that state there is insufficient information provided by the applicant on which to base an evaluation should not be accepted. If the requested evaluation shows the foreign education to be legitimate and comparable to that expected of a candidate with U.S. credentials, it may be accepted at the discretion of the agency. For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education's web site at http://www.ed.gov.
Professional Licensure: Possession of a valid and current U.S. professional license by a graduate of a foreign professional school or program is sufficient proof that the foreign education has been determined to be equivalent to the requisite U.S. professional education in that occupational field.
Grade Qualifying Education GS-1 None GS-2 High school graduation or equivalent GS-3 1 academic year above high school GS-4 2 academic years above high school or Associate's degree in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position. GS-5 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree or Bachelor's degree in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position. GS-7 Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement for two-grade interval positions in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position. or 1 academic year of graduate education (or law school, as specified in qualification standards or individual occupational requirements) in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position. GS-9 Master's (or equivalent graduate degree such as LL.B. or J.D. as specified in qualification standards or individual occupational requirements) in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position, or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position. GS-11 Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualification and perform the duties of the position. or 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education, in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position, or For research positions only, completion of all requirements for a master's or equivalent degree (See information on research positions in the qualification standard for professional and scientific positions) in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position. GS-12 For research positions only, completion of all requirements for a doctoral or equivalent degree (See information on research positions in the qualification standard for professional and scientific positions) in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related KSAs/competencies necessary to satisfy the minimum qualifications and perform the duties of the position. - At the undergraduate level, successfully completed education that has not led to possession of a degree is credited based on its relationship to 120semester hours or 180 quarter hours. For example, 30 semester hours or45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. Four years of progressive study or 120 semester hours meets the degree requirements. Additional credit cannot be given for duplicate course work.
- For study at a business or technical school, 36 weeks of study (20+classroom hours per week) is comparable to 1 academic year above high school.
- An academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1academic year of full-time study. This determination is made based on normal course loads for a full year of study in the graduate program. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours or 27quarter hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.
- When academic credit is expressed in contract months, units, or other terms that differ from conventional semester or quarter hours, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an interpretation of such credits from the appropriate institution in order to equate them to the semester or quarter hours specified in the standard.
- Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.)
- Doctor of Dental Science (D.D.S.) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.)
- Doctor of Jurisprudence or Juris Doctor (J.D.)
- Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
- Doctor of Optometry (O.D.)
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy (D.O.)
- Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
- Doctor of Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.)
- Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Hebrew Letters (M.H.L.) or Rabbinical Ordination (Rav)
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.).
- Require that senior students provide evidence that they maintained the required grades during their senior year prior to entry on duty; or
- Appoint applicants based on their claimed academic achievement,pending verification of final grades. Agencies should inform such applicants that if the required grades were not maintained through their senior year, there is a possibility that they may not be able to retain either the GS-7 grade or the position.
S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
- Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
- Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
- 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
- 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2years of the curriculum.
Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.
The G.P.A should be credited in a manner that is most beneficial to the applicant. For example, applicants may list their G.P.A. as recorded on their final transcript, or they may choose to compute their G.P.A. The specific provisions are detailed below:
- G.P.A. as recorded on the final transcript. The final transcript must cover the period being used to determine G.P.A., i.e., all 4 years or last 2 years.
- G.P.A. including course work after bachelor's degree. Undergraduate course work obtained after an applicant has received a bachelor's degree can be credited in computing the G.P.A. of applicants who need those courses to meet minimum qualification requirements, i.e., the courses are required by the standard or by the individual occupational requirement. They are treated as described in the following example:
- An applicant for a Biologist position has a bachelor's degree that included no biology course work, but has taken 24semester hours in undergraduate biology courses after obtaining the bachelor's degree. The grades earned in the biology courses should be included in the computation to determine this applicant's eligibility for GS-7 under the Superior Academic Achievement provision. These courses should be counted in determining (1) the overall grade-point average, (2) the average obtained during the final 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum, and/or (3) the average in the major field of study. For purposes of this example, biology would be considered the major field of study.
- Alpha Beta Gamma
- Alpha Chi
- Alpha Epsilon
- Alpha Epsilon Delta
- Alpha Epsilon Rho
- Alpha Eta Mu Beta
- Alpha Iota Delta
- Alpha Kappa Delta
- Alpha Kappa Mu
- Alpha Lamba Delta
- Alpha Phi Sigma
- Alpha Pi Mu
- Alpha Sigma Lambda
- Alpha Sigma Mu
- Alpha Sigma Nu
- Beta Gamma Sigma
- Beta Kappa Chi
- Beta Phi Mu
- Chi Epsilon
- Chi Sigma Iota
- Delta Epsilon Sigma
- Delta Mu Delta
- Delta Tau Alpha
- Epsilon Pi Tau
- Gamma Theta Upsilon
- Kappa Mu Epsilon
- Kappa Omicron Nu
- Kappa Tau Alpha
- Lambda Iota Tau
- Lambda Pi Eta
- Lambda Sigma
- Mortar Board
- Mu Kappa Tau
- National Society of Scabbard and Blade
- NSCS (The National Society of Collegiate Scholars)
- Omega Chi Epsilon
- Omega Rho
- Omicron Delta Epsilon
- Phi Beta Delta
- Phi Sigma
- Phi Sigma Iota
- Phi Sigma Tau
- Phi Upsilon Omicron
- Pi Alpha Alpha
- Pi Delta Phi
- Pi Gamma Mu
- Pi Kappa Lambda
- Pi Omega Pi
- Pi Sigma Alpha
- Pi Tau Sigma
- Pi Theta Epsilon
- Psi Beta
- Psi Chi
- Rho Chi
- Sigma Beta Delta
- Sigma Delta Pi
- Sigma Lambda Alpha
- Sigma Lambda Chi
- Sigma Pi Sigma
- Sigma Tau Delta
- Sigma Theta Tau
- Tau Alpha Pi
- Tau Beta Pi
- Tau Sigma Delta
- Theta Alpha Kappa
- Upsilon Pi Epsilon
- Registration as a professional engineer or architect; or
- A substantial record of experience, achievement, and publications that demonstrates eminence in the appropriate professional/scientific field.
Waiver Request
Agencies can make minimum qualifications determinations as described above independently without having to request a waiver approval from OPM. An agency waiver may include verifying alternative substitution of a minimum qualifications, but not the omittance of a legal requirement. In cases in which agencies prefer to request a waiver from OPM, agencies may submit a waiver request to qualification standards through their agency Chief Human Capital Officer for OPM’s consideration and decision to approve the waiver request. An OPM qualifications waiver may involve complex requests involving unusual scenarios requiring qualifications policy interpretation by OPM. Agency requests to OPM for a waiver must include the following basic information in order to be properly considered:
- Request to waive the Individual Occupational Requirements of an OPM Qualification Standard including the rationale or need for the waiver and impact on meeting the agency’s mission;
- Copies of current official position descriptions with evaluation statements and other related position classification information;
- Job Opportunity Announcement;
- Job Analysis supporting required knowledge, skills and abilities and/or competencies required;
- The Applicants resume and other credentials;
- Summary of the assessment approach; and
- Required knowledge, skills, and abilities and/or competencies required for performing work.
Requests for waivers of OPM qualification standards should be sent to fedclass@opm.gov. An OPM representative will contact you regarding your request. Incomplete requests will be returned to requesting agencies.
- Experience -- Agencies can request that examining offices honor selective factors that could have been acquired only through experience where the position requires program, regulatory, and/or procedural knowledge, such as knowledge of personnel, budget, laboratory, or purchasing procedures. Education alone may not have provided all the KSAs/competencies required for such a position; however, education supplemented by work such as internships,field work, and cooperative education that provided the program, regulatory, or procedural knowledge may be qualifying for the position. It is important to note that agencies cannot make experience requirements so specific that only employees of the agency could meet the minimum requirements, as this would inappropriately restrict competition.
- Education – If the applicable standard allows for qualifying either on the basis of experience and/or education, an agency cannot require that applicants qualify on the basis of education only. However, the restriction in title 5 U.S.C. 3308 does not preclude agencies from evaluating an applicant's education to determine if it provided the KSAs/competencies required to meet selective or quality ranking factors. Additionally, agencies can request that consideration be limited to fields of study that provide the specific KSAs/competencies for a particular position when considering the qualifications of individuals applying on the basis of education. (For example, an agency has a vacancy for a physicist position specializing in a branch of solid-state physics).
- Minimum educational requirements -- When there is a change to or addition of minimum educational requirements to an occupational series, Federal employees currently classified to that series do not have to meet the new educational requirements. (Also see (b) below.)
- The "add-on rule" -- If an employee qualified for his or her current position by meeting the provisions of the appropriate standard (either an OPM standard or an agency-modified standard, as described in (c) below), the agency need only add on the difference between the length of experience required for the current position and the length of experience required for the proposed position. For example, a GS-2 employee in a clerical position qualified for his or her current position on the basis of high school graduation. The employee would be eligible for promotion to GS-3 after 3 months of employment since the difference between the experience requirements for GS-2 (3 months) and the experience requirements for GS-3 (6 months) is 3 months. Note that at the GS-2 level, a high school diploma is credited the same as 3 months of experience. The "add-on rule" can be used even when the current and proposed positions are classified in different series if the level and quality of the experience required for the two series are not significantly different. The "add-on rule" can be used for any inservice placement action; however, the following restrictions apply:
- If minimum educational requirements have been established or changed for an employee's former series, the "add-on rule" can be used to return the employee to that series only if:
- The employee has maintained current occupational knowledge through employment or education and meets any licensure or certification requirements; and
- Comparison of the position descriptions or other documentation of work performed shows clearly that the employee's former position included all the basic duties of the position to be filled and provided the knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs)/competencies necessary to perform the duties of the new position. (This is particularly important when a minimum educational requirement has been added to an occupational series that did not have one when the employee served in it. In that instance, some positions formerly classified in the series may not have required full occupational knowledge and are now classified in a different series.)
- Executive Order 11935, which requires citizenship for the competitive civil service, i.e., only a United States citizen or national may be appointed to the competitive service. This requirement applies to all types of appointments. In noncompetitive conversions from the excepted service, the citizenship requirement must be met as of the effective date of the action. (A national is a person who owes allegiance to or is under the protection of a nation, but is not a citizen or subject. However, a native is typically born in the particular place.) Natives of the following areas are United States citizens: Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian; Puerto Rico; and the Virgin Islands of the United States, including St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. At present, only natives of American Samoa and Swains Island are nationals of the United States;
- The annual Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriation Act ban on paying aliens from many countries; and
- The immigration law ban (title 8 U.S.C. 1324a) on employing aliens, unless they are lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise authorized to be employed.
In specific cases, OPM may authorize the appointment of aliens to competitive service jobs to promote the efficiency of the service, as an exception to the Order, and to the extent permitted by law.
Each agency is responsible for applying any additional citizenship restrictions or exceptions that are authorized by its own enabling and appropriation statutes.
- Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or
- Have completed a formal vocational training program; or
- Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or
- Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
Applications may be considered from individuals who meet one of the above conditions and will reach the age of 16 prior to or on the date they report to work.
Title 5 U.S.C. 3307 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to establish the minimum age requirement for initial appointment to U.S. Park police positions.
In addition to the above, agencies must observe the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as Federal, State, and local laws that relate to the employment of minors in hazardous positions or in positions requiring the use of firearms.
(2)Maximum entry age restrictions. Title 5 U.S.C. 3307(a) prohibits the establishment of a maximum entry age for Federal positions, except as provided below. The prohibition against establishing maximum entry age limits applies to noncompetitive actions as well as to competitive appointments, to the excepted as well as to competitive services, and to all agencies, including OPM. Consequently, agencies cannot apply a maximum entry age limit under merit promotion procedures or in selection through any type of noncompetitive action,except as provided in the applicable Sections of the United States Code. There are no maximum entry age restrictions for most positions in the competitive service, except as follows:
- Title 5 U.S.C. 3307, authorizes the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Defense to establish a maximum entry age for original appointment to air traffic controller positions in their respective Departments. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to establish a maximum entry age for original appointment to U.S. Park police positions. The head of any agency is authorized to establish a maximum entry age for original appointment to positions of law enforcement officers or firefighters; and
- Title 29 U.S.C. 633a permits agencies to establish a maximum age requirement only in instances where they have proven to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that age is a bona fide occupational qualification necessary for the performance of the duties of a particular position.
Maximum age restrictions established under 29 U.S.C. 633a or under the special authorities in 5 U.S.C. 3307 are not waived for persons entitled to veterans’ preference.
- Initial appointments -- Tests are required for some occupational series,either for all applicants or for those applicants who do not meet specific requirements indicated in the standard. If a test is required, applicants who are subject to that test must pass or have previously passed it to be eligible for initial appointment. This includes competitive appointments,and appointments under most noncompetitive appointing authorities.
- Inservice placement -- (1) Tests required by OPM. There are a few occupational series for which a test is required by OPM for inservice placement. For such series, agencies must use and applicants must pass the appropriate OPM test. Occupational series with such requirements are also identified in the Test Requirements section. (2)Tests required by agencies. For positions for which OPM does not require a test, agencies may develop and use tests without OPM approval,as long as the test is part of a comprehensive set of assessment procedures used in ranking employees. The use and appropriateness of such tests are the responsibility of the agency. Agencies cannot, however,use existing OPM tests for such positions, unless specific approval has been received from OPM. (3)How inservice applicants can be examined. In occupations other than those where OPM requires a test for inservice placement, if an agency prefers to use alternatives to testing (e.g., evaluation of training and experience, interview, performance appraisal) to measure qualifications, it can do so, or it may use a test as one of several tools in evaluating applicants. Tests can be used to determine basic eligibility (i.e., on a pass-fail basis) or as the sole basis for ranking inservice placement applicants, only when specific approval has been received from OPM. (4)Performance tests. As a general guide, performance tests (e.g., typing proficiency tests) can be used to evaluate inservice placement applicants when, within the past 3 years, they have not performed successfully in a position that required proficiency in the skills needed for the position to be filled.
- who operate vehicles of one-ton capacity or less and who possess a current driver's license from one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, where domiciled or principally employed, except for incidental operators of buses or vehicles used for transportation of dangerous material, law enforcement, or emergency services;
- who possess a current driver's license, for the specific class of vehicle operated, from one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico,where domiciled or principally employed; or
- in accordance with a specific authorization by OPM to the agency concerned.
An agency head may waive the road test when it is not practical to apply it, and then only for an employee whose competence as a driver has been established by his/her past driving record.
In general, no medical condition may be considered disqualifying unless there is evidence that it is likely to adversely affect job performance or safety to an unacceptable degree. At least once every 4 years, each agency will ensure that employees who operate Government owned or leased vehicles are medically able to do so without undue risk to themselves or others. Where there is a question about an employee's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely, the employee may be referred for a medical examination in accordance with provisions of title 5 CFR 339.
Updating Qualification Standards
OPM's goal is to keep the requirements in the qualification standards as current as possible. Therefore, agencies are requested to inform Talent Acquisition and Workforce Shaping of substantive changes to occupational or agency requirements so that the appropriate qualification standard can be revised. Additionally, if agencies are having difficulty in obtaining well qualified applicants on the basis of current qualification requirements, they should contact Employee Services, Talent Acquisition, Classification and Veterans Programs Center so that a determination can be made on whether the standard is in need of revision.
Establishment of Additional Standards
The standards contained in this section, adapted by use of agency selective factors, when necessary, should fit most jobs. Agencies may submit requests for updates to standards through their Chief Human Capital Officers for OPM to consider establishing new or revising existing standards at any time. The formal request must come through an agency’s Headquarters Human Resources Office.
Agency requests for new standards and revisions must include the following basic information in order to be properly considered:
- A proposed qualification standard and a job analysis showing how the proposed requirements at entry, full-performance, and higher levels relate to the work to be performed at those levels;
- Approximate number of jobs in the agency that would be covered by the proposed standard, with their grade levels and organizational and geographic locations;
- Representative position descriptions, including at least one at the full-performance level, evaluation statements, and related classification information;
- Employment data - the number of impacted positions and their current classification (e.g., pay plan, title, occupational series, and grade);
- Organizational charts clearly identifying positions;
- Explanation of why the current qualification standard(s) and the use of selective factors are not effective;
- Job analysis for required knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies for performing work;
- Copies of current performance standards for the work;
- Copies of job opportunity announcements used to fill positions;
- Statistical data/information on current recruitment efforts and challenges filling positions;
- Statistical data/information illustrating current retention and turnover issues;
- Information concerning use of Hiring Flexibilities, such as, 3Rs and Special Salary Rates;
- Related agency studies/surveys of positions;
- Other agencies with similar positions (e.g., any other agencies likely to have covered positions); and
- Any other pertinent information related to this work at your agency.
OPM conducts comprehensive occupational studies to substantiate the need for updating or establishing classification and qualification standards. OPM may request additional information based on the scope of the study and evidence needed to inform policymaking efforts.
Requests for updates to qualification standards, new qualification standards, and waivers of OPM qualification standards should be sent to fedclass@opm.gov. An OPM representative will contact you regarding your request. The time frame is contingent upon the work that has to be completed, current priorities, and current projects. Incomplete requests will not be processed.
Requests to establish additional standards or to update standards may also be sent to:
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Employee Services
Talent Acquisition, Classification, and Veterans Programs
Classification and Assessment Policy
1900 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20415References and Sources
- Title 5 U.S.C., Chapters 11, 21, 23, 31, 33, 35, and 51.
- Title 5 CFR 300, Employment (General)
- Title 5 CFR 307, Veterans Recruitment Appointments
- Title 5 CFR 332, Recruitment and Selection through Competitive Examination
- Title 5 CFR 335, Promotion and Internal Placement
- Title 5 CFR 337, Examining System
- Title 5 CFR 338, Qualification Requirements (General)
- Title 5 CFR 339, Medical Qualification Determinations
- Title 5 CFR 353, Restoration to Duty from Military Service or Compensable Injury
- Title 5 CFR 930, Programs for Specific Positions and Examinations(Miscellaneous)
- Executive Order (13932) on Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates
- Introduction to the Position Classification Standards
- Handbook of Occupational Groups and Series
- The Delegated Examining Operations Handbook
- Directory of Postsecondary Institutions
U.S. Department of Education
Public Information Division
Education Information Branch
Washington, DC 20208-1404
(202)219-1651 - Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Associations
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Postsecondary Education
Higher Education Management Services
Washington, DC 20202
(202)708-8922 - Guides to the Academic Placement of Students from Foreign Countries in Educational Institutions of the United States of America
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers(AACRAO)-
One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 330
Washington, DC 20036-1110
(202)293-9161 - Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education
American Council on Education (ACE) published for The Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation (CORPA)
One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 305
Washington, DC 20036
(202)452-1433 - The hep Higher Education Directory
Higher Education Publications, Inc. (HEP)
2946 Sleepy Hollow Road
Falls Church, Virginia 22044
(703)532-2300 - Peterson's Guides to Two-Year Colleges
Peterson's Guides to Four-Year Colleges
Peterson's Guides, Inc.
P.O. Box 2123
Princeton, New Jersey 08543-2123A - Association of College Honor Societies - Booklet of Information
4990 Northwind Drive, Suite 140
East Lansing, Michigan 48823-5031
(517)351-8335 - Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities
Baird's Manual Foundation
3901 West 86th Street, Suite 390
Indianapolis, Indiana 46268
Related Information
Test Requirements
This section contains a summary of occupational series for which the U.S. Office of Personnel Management currently requires written and/or performance tests. It will be updated periodically to reflect changes in test coverage as they occur. The test coverage list in this section of the Manual takes precedence over any information in specific qualification standards about which occupations require written and/or performance tests.
Test requirements are for competitive appointments only, unless otherwise specified. Agencies should refer to the "written and performance tests " section for general policy guidance on the use of written and performance tests.
Please note that this section contains only a summary listing of test coverage, and does not reflect special examining provisions, such as "outstanding scholar" direct-hire appointments, waivers based on shortage labor market conditions, or other special circumstances that permit applicants to be exempted from written test requirements.
(Note that references to "ACWA," the Administrative Careers With America examinations, pertain only to positions that meet the ACWA criteria.)
Occupations / Positions for Which Written and/or Performance Tests are Required
Series / Title / Position(s) Grade(s) Remarks 011 Bond Sales Promotion 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 018 Safety & Occupational Health Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 020 Community Planning 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 023 Outdoor Recreation Planning 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 025 Park Ranger 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 028 Environmental Protection Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 080 Security Administration 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 082 United States Marshal 5/7 written test 083 Police 2 written test 083 Park Police 5 written test 083a Police (Secret Service) 4/5 written test 085 Security Guard 2 written test 101 Social Science 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 105 Social Insurance Administration 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 106 Unemployment Insurance 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 107 Health Insurance Adminstration 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 110 Economist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 130 Foreign Affairs 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 131 International Relations 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 132 Intelligence 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 140 Workforce Research and Analysis 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 142 Workforce Development 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 150 Geography 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 170 History 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 180 Psychology 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 184 Sociology 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 187 Social Services 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 190 General Anthropology 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 193 Archeology 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 201 Human Resources Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 244 Labor Mgmt Relations Examining 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 301 Misc Administration & Program 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 312 Clerk-Stenographer 3/4/5 performance test or self certification 312 Reporting Stenographer 5/6 performance test or self certification 312 Shorthand Reporter 6/7/8/9 performance test or self certification 319 Closed Microphone Reporting 6/7/8/9 performance test only; mandatory for competitive appt & inservice placement 322 Clerk-Typist 2/3/4 performance test or self certification 326 Office Automation Clerical and Assistance 2/3/4 performance test or self certification 334 Computer Specialist 5/7 ACWA for Alternative B only 341 Administrative Officer 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 343 Management and Program Analysis 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 346 Logistics Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 356 Data Transcriber 2/3/4 performance test or self certification 391 Telecommunications 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 501 Financial Administration & Program 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 526 Tax Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 560 Budget Analysis 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 570 Financial Institution Examining 5/7 ACWA, except for FDIC positions 673 Hospital Housekeeping Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 685 Public Health Program Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 901 General Legal and Kindred Administration 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 950 Paralegal Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 958 Pension Law Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 965 Land Law Examining 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 967 Passport & Visa Examining 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 987 Tax Law Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 990 General Claims Examining (One-grade interval) 4 written test 991 Workers' Comp Claims Examining 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 993 Railroad Retirement Claims Examining 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 994 Unemployment Comp Claims Examining 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 996 Veterans Claims Examining 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1001 General Arts and Information 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1015 Museum Curator 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1016 Museum Specialist & Technician 2/3 written test 1035 Public Affairs 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1082 Writing & Editing 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1083 Technical Writing & Editing 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1101 General Business and Industry 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1102 Contract Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1103 Industrial Property Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1104 Property Disposal 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1130 Public Utilities Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1140 Trade Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1140 International Trade Specialist 5/7 written test 1145 Agricultural Program Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1146 Agricultural Marketing 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1146 Grain Marketing Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1147 Agricultural Market Reporting 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1150 Industrial Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1160 Financial Analysis 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1163 Insurance Examining 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1165 Loan Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1169 Internal Revenue Officer 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1170 Realty 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1171 Appraising & Assessing 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1173 Housing Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1176 Building Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1412 Technical Information Services 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1420 Archivist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1421 Archives Specialist 5/7 ACWA (Two-Grade Interval Only) 1654 Printing Management Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1701 General Education and Training 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1715 Vocational Rehabilitation 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1720 Education Program 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1801 Civil Aviation Security Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1801 Center Adjudications Officer 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1801 District Adjudications Officer 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1810 General Investigation 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1811 Criminal Investigation 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1811 Criminal Investigator -- Treasury Enforcement Agent 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1849 Wage & Hour Investigation (formely 249 Wage & Hour Compliance) 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1863 Food Inspection 5/7 biographical data assessment 1889 Import Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 1895 Customs and Border Protection Officer 5/7 written test 1896 Border Patrol Agent 5/7 written test & language proficiency 1910 Quality Assurance 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2001 General Supply 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2003 Supply Program Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2010 Inventory Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2030 Distribution Facilities & Storage Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2032 Packaging 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2050 Supply Cataloging 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2101 Transportation Specialist 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2101 Airway Transportation System Specialist
Department of Transportaion, Federal Aviation Administration5/7 written test 2110 Transportation Industry Analysis 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2125 Highway Safety 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2130 Traffic Management 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2150 Transportation Operations 5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment 2152 Air Traffic Control 5/7 written test for 5/7 - mandatory for competitive appt & inservice placement; optional above 7 2210 Information Technology Management
(Alternative B only)5/7 ACWA or other valid assessment Medical Requirements
This section provides a summary of the occupational series that have medical requirements. Title 5 CFR 339, "Medical Qualification Determinations," contains the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's basic guidance on the establishment of medical standards and physical requirements for Federal civilian positions.
Applicants and employees cannot be disqualified arbitrarily on the basis of medical standards, physical requirements, fitness tests, or other criteria that do not relate specifically to job performance. In addition, agencies are required to provide reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities who demonstrate that they can perform the work of the position to be filled.
In accordance with 5 CFR 339, agencies have the authority to establish medical standards for positions for which they are the predominant employer, i.e., have 50 percent or more of the employees in the occupational series. In establishing such standards, they must comply with the provisions in 5 CFR 339 pertaining to job-relatedness, reasonable accommodation, etc.
Generally, when medical requirements have been established by OPM, those requirements are included in the individual qualification standard or individual occupational requirements.
The following occupations have medical and/or physical requirements:
- If minimum educational requirements have been established or changed for an employee's former series, the "add-on rule" can be used to return the employee to that series only if: