Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates

This executive order directs the federal government to shift from degree-based to skills- and competency-based hiring for competitive service positions. It requires OPM to revise job classification and qualification standards, limits when educational requirements can be used, and mandates new candidate assessment methods that do not rely solely on educational attainment.

Federal Register Open PDF 85 FR 39457

Impact dates

Dec 23, 2020
Changes to job classification and qualification standards go into effect
Dec 23, 2020
Agencies must assess candidates without relying solely on educational attainment for competitive service positions
Oct 24, 2020
Changes to job classification and qualification standards made available to public

Key directives

OPM Director to review and revise all job classification and qualification standards for competitive service positions
All changes to standards made available to public within 120 days
All changes to standards go into effect within 180 days
Agencies must assess candidates without relying solely on educational attainment within 180 days
Agency heads must develop or identify non-education-based assessment practices
Position descriptions and postings must be based on specific skills and competencies required
Educational requirements permitted only when legally required for position duties in relevant state/locality
Education may otherwise be considered only if it directly reflects competencies necessary for the position
Agencies shall not rely solely on candidates' self-evaluations
Agencies must continually evaluate effectiveness of assessment strategies

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

EO issuance and dissemination to agencies

Near term (90d)

OPM review of standards underway
agencies begin developing assessment practices

Long term

Revised standards take effect
New assessment practices implemented across competitive service
Potential structural change in federal workforce composition

Risks & tensions

Implementation dependent on OPM capacity and agency cooperation; 'consistent with applicable law' and 'subject to availability of appropriations' create potential escape hatches
Vague on enforcement mechanism if agencies fail to comply
'Legally required' educational requirements in state/locality (Sec. 2(a)(i)) may preserve many degree barriers for licensed professions
Self-executing limitations on education may face resistance from agency hiring managers and legal interpretation disputes
Continual evaluation requirement (Sec. 3(c)) lacks specificity on metrics or reporting