republic-os/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-96/section-9602.md

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LegalText	5 U.S.C. § 9602	Competitive service; time-limited appointments	us	united_states_code	code_section	5	GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES	96	PERSONNEL FLEXIBILITIES RELATING TO LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES	9602	5 U.S.C. § 9602	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc05@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t5/s9602	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-05/usc05.xml	75458f89e3efceb6c1cef3070c89f94ca8d69aac9d0172f620ffb2aedb86d148	719fdb18e7085aede50e1e97c1c129fa6058e2c5c12b3d77a9b9044b1769e540	3ddfcfe1e71d9916f0c90778b5b88ca8ef31167a77707bc4d92105d3e315f20c	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

5 U.S.C. § 9602 - Competitive service; time-limited appointments

Text

(a) Notwithstanding chapter 33 or any other provision of law relating to the examination, certification, and appointment of individuals in the competitive service, an employee of a land management agency serving under a time-limited appointment in the competitive service is eligible to compete for a permanent appointment in the competitive service at such land management agency when such agency is accepting applications from individuals within the agency’s workforce under merit promotion procedures, or any agency, including a land management agency, when the agency is accepting applications from individuals outside its own workforce under the merit promotion procedures of the applicable agency if—

(1) the employee was appointed initially under open, competitive examination under subchapter I of chapter 33 to the time-limited appointment;

(2) the employee has served under 1 or more time-limited appointments by a land management agency for a period or periods totaling more than 24 months without a break of 2 or more years; and

(3) the employee’s performance has been at an acceptable level of performance throughout the period or periods (as the case may be) referred to in paragraph (2).

(b) In determining the eligibility of a time-limited employee under this section to be examined for or appointed in the competitive service, the Office of Personnel Management or other examining agency shall waive requirements as to age, unless the requirement is essential to the performance of the duties of the position.

(c) An individual appointed under this section—

(1) becomes a career-conditional employee, unless the employee has otherwise completed the service requirements for career tenure; and

(2) acquires competitive status upon appointment.

(d) A former employee of a land management agency who served under a time-limited appointment and who otherwise meets the requirements of this section shall be deemed a time-limited employee of the agency from which the former employee was most recently separated for purposes of this section if—

(1) such employee applies for a position covered by this section within the period of 2 years after the most recent date of separation; and

(2) such employee’s most recent separation was for reasons other than misconduct or performance.

(e) The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section.

(Added Pub. L. 114–47, § 2(a), Aug. 7, 2015, 129 Stat. 485; amended Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XI, § 1135, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2459.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1135(1), substituted in introductory provisions “such land management agency when such agency is accepting applications from individuals within the agency’s workforce under merit promotion procedures, or any agency, including a land management agency, when the agency is accepting applications from individuals outside its own workforce under the merit promotion procedures of the applicable agency” for “any land management agency or any other agency (as defined in section 101 of title 31) under the internal merit promotion procedures of the applicable agency”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1135(2), inserted “of the agency from which the former employee was most recently separated” after “deemed a time-limited employee” in introductory provisions.