OPMFinal Rule
Reinvigorating Merit-Based Hiring Through Candidate Ranking in the Competitive and Excepted Service (Rule of Many)
Labor & Workplace
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Summary
This regulation changes how federal agencies hire employees by requiring them to rank job candidates based on merit rather than using other selection methods. The goal is to make sure the most qualified people get federal government jobs, potentially affecting millions of Americans who work for or apply to work for the federal government.
Key Points
- 1Federal agencies must now rank job applicants by their qualifications and give priority to the highest-ranked candidates when filling positions
- 2The rule applies to most federal jobs in the competitive and excepted service categories, covering a large portion of the federal workforce
- 3Agencies can no longer use certain hiring practices that don't focus on ranking candidates by merit and qualifications
- 4The change aims to make federal hiring more transparent and focused on hiring the most capable people for each job
- 5Federal job applicants may see changes in how their applications are reviewed and how job openings are filled
Key Dates
Published
September 8, 2025
This summary is for informational purposes only. It may not capture all nuances of the regulation. Always refer to the official text for authoritative information.
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