[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 209 (Monday, October 30, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55173-55174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26851]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 209 / Monday, October 30, 1995 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 55173]]
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
5 CFR Part 213
RIN 3206-AH15
Appointment of Nonstatus Employees Entitled to Placement in a
Different Agency Upon Restoration to Duty From Uniformed Service
AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
ACTION: Interim regulations with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing interim
regulations to permit Schedule A appointments of certain excepted
service employees who are entitled to placement in a different agency
if their original employing agency cannot reemploy them following
uniformed service. These regulations implement the Uniformed Services
Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), Public Law
103-353, which mandates such placement. Interim regulations setting out
the categories of employees who are eligible for this assistance and
OPM's responsibility for placing them were published for comment on
September 1, 1995 (60 FR 45650).
DATES: Effective: October 30, 1995.
Comments must be received on or before December 29, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Leonard R. Klein, Associate
Director for Employment, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Raleigh M. Neville, (202) 606-0830.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USERRA clarifies, expands, and strengthens
the restoration rights of employees who perform active duty in a
uniformed service. Among the changes are a requirement that OPM place
in the executive branch certain categories of employees when their
former agencies determine that it is ``impossible or unreasonable'' to
reemploy them. The employees entitled to special placement assistance
are:
(1) Executive branch employees (including those serving under
excepted or time-limited appointments) whose agencies no longer exist
and the functions have not been transferred, or it is otherwise
impossible or unreasonable to reemploy them;
(2) Legislative and judicial branch employees;
(3) National Guard Technicians; and
(4) Employees of the intelligence agencies.
Placement in executive branch positions frequently requires that an
individual have competitive civil service status or be hired through
competitive examination. Executive branch employees who left career or
career-conditional appointments or who had established reinstatement
eligibility based on prior service are eligible for noncompetitive
placement in competitive service positions. Executive branch employees
who left temporary or term appointments are generally eligible for
noncompetitive reappointment to complete any unexpired portion of those
appointments. The remaining employees entitled to placement, however,
have no status that would permit their noncompetitive appointment in
the competitive service.
Under USERRA, the employees are entitled to placement in positions
that are equivalent in terms of pay, grade, and status to the positions
they left. Since the employees covered by this interim regulation left
positions filled under excepted appointment, it is appropriate that
they be placed in the executive branch under an excepted appointment.
Such appointment would permit the restored employees to continue
serving indefinitely (or up to any time limit of their original
appointment) and to be promoted or reassigned to other positions in
their new agency, but would not give them competitive status they could
not have earned in their original positions.
Excepted appointing authority already exists under Sec. 213.3102(j)
for National Guard Technicians who are applying for or receiving a
civil service annuity based on a disability that disqualifies them from
membership in the National Guard or from holding the military grade
required as a condition of their Technician employment. These interim
regulations expand that authority to cover nonstatus employees entitled
to placement under USERRA, with one exception.
The Schedule A authority does not cover employees who held Schedule
C appointments or appointments under statutory authorities that
specified the employees served at the discretion, will, or pleasure of
the agency. We find that such at-will employees are not entitled to
placement in other agencies if their original employing agency declines
to reemploy them. Since their original appointments could be terminated
at any time, their positions afforded ``no reasonable expectation that
employment will continue indefinitely or for a reasonable period,'' as
required by USERRA.
Waiver of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), I find that good cause exists
for waiving the general notice of proposed rulemaking, because the
statutory provisions for reemployment in other agencies became
effective on December 12, 1994. The Schedule A appointing authority set
out in these interim regulations is needed for practical implementation
of that law.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
I certify that this regulation will not have a significant impact
on a substantial number of small entities because it pertains only to
Federal employees and agencies.
List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 213
Government employees, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Office of Personnel Management.
James B. King,
Director.
Accordingly, OPM is amending part 213, as follows:
PART 213--EXCEPTED SERVICE
1. The authority citation for part 213 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 3301 and 3302, E.O. 10577, 3 CFR 1954-1958
Comp., p. 218; Sec. 213.101 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 2103;
Sec. 213.3102 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 3301, 3302, 3307, 8337(h),
and 8456; E.O. 12364,
[[Page 55174]]
47 FR 22931, 3 CFR 1982 Comp., p. 185; and Pub. L. 103-353.
2. In Sec. 213.3102, paragraph (j) is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 213.3102 Entire executive civil service.
* * * * *
(j) Positions filled by current or former Federal employees
eligible for placement under special statutory provisions. Appointments
under this authority are subject to the following conditions.
(1) Eligible employees. (i) Persons previously employed as National
Guard Technicians under 32 U.S.C. 709(a) who are entitled to placement
under Sec. 353.110 of this chapter, or who are applying for or
receiving an annuity under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456
by reason of a disability that disqualifies them from membership in the
National Guard or from holding the military grade required as a
condition of their National Guard employment.
(ii) Executive branch employees (other than employees of
intelligence agencies) who are entitled to placement under Sec. 353.110
but who are not eligible for reinstatement or noncompetitive
appointment under the provisions of part 315 of this chapter.
(iii) Legislative and judicial branch employees and employees of
the intelligence agencies defined in 5 U.S.C. 2302(a)(2)(C)(ii) who are
entitled to placement under Sec. 353.110.
(2) Employees excluded. Employees who were last employed in
Schedule C or under a statutory authority that specified the employee
served at the discretion, will, or pleasure of the agency are not
eligible for appointment under this authority.
(3) Position to which appointed. Employees who are entitled to
placement under Sec. 353.110 will be appointed to a position that OPM
determines is equivalent in pay and grade to the one the individual
left, unless the individual elects to be placed in a position of lower
grade or pay. National Guard Technicians whose eligibility is based
upon a disability may be appointed at the same grade, or equivalent, as
their National Guard Technician position or at any lower grade for
which they are available.
(4) Conditions of appointment. (i) Individuals whose placement
eligibility is based on an appointment without time limit will receive
appointments without time limit under this authority. These appointees
may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted to any position within the same
agency for which they qualify.
(ii) Individuals who are eligible for placement under Sec. 353.110
based on a time-limited appointment will be given appointments for a
time period equal to the unexpired portion of their previous
appointment.
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[FR Doc. 95-26851 Filed 10-27-95; 8:45 am]
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