Subpart G—Conversion to Career or Career-Conditional Employment From Other Types of Employment

(a) Employee coverage. This section applies to an employee retained under §§ 316.701 and 316.702 of this chapter who:

(1) Was serving in a permanent excepted position under an appointment not limited to 1 year or less, or in a public or private enterprise in a position which the agency determines to be a continuing one, at the time his position was brought into the competitive service; and

(2) Performed 6 months of satisfactory service immediately before the date his position was brought into the competitive service, in a position or positions brought into the competitive service, or in the civilian executive branch of the Government, unless OPM has excepted his particular type of case from this requirement.

(b) Eligibility for conversion. Within the time limits set forth in paragraph (c) of this section, the employment of an employee covered by paragraph (a) of this section may be converted to career or career-conditional employment.

(c) Time limits. Conversion may be initiated under paragraph (b) of this section only within 6 months after the position is brought into the competitive service, except that:

(1) When it is necessary for OPM to determine that § 316.701 or § 316.702 applies to a group of positions, the recommendation shall be submitted within 6 months after OPM advises the agency of its determination; and

(2) When an employee is absent on an assignment to an organization or agency from which reemployment rights are provided under part 352 of this chapter or by statute, the conversion shall be initiated within 6 months after the employee's return from such assignment, when reemployment occurs within the time limits prescribed in the applicable statute or regulation;

(3) When an employee is absent on approved leave without pay, the conversion shall be initiated within 6 months of the employee's return to duty, when such return occurs within time limits authorized by the agency; and

(4) When an employee who is serving on military duty or who is separated and rehired during the 6-month period after the position is brought into the competitive service is eligible for conversion under the provisions of § 315.603, the conversion shall be initiated within the time limits prescribed by that section.

(d) Tenure on approval of conversion. Upon conversion under paragraph (b) of this section, the employee becomes:

(1) A career-conditional employee, except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section;

(2) A career employee when he has completed the service requirement for career tenure or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(e) Acquisition of competitive status. A person whose employment is converted to career or career-conditional employment under this section acquires a competitive status automatically on completion of probation.

(f) Review of disapproved conversions. Agencies shall establish procedures for reviewing disapprovals of conversions under this section when such review is requested within 6 months after the date of the disapproval.

[33 FR 12418, Sept. 4, 1968, as amended at 43 FR 34428, Aug. 4, 1978; 66 FR 66710, Dec. 27, 2001]

(a) Recommendation by agency. An agency may recommend to OPM that the employment of an employee who has completed at least 1 year of satisfactory service under § 316.601 be converted to career or career-conditional employment.

(b) Tenure on approval of recommendation. When OPM approves the agency's recommendation submitted under paragraph (a) of this section, the employee becomes:

(1) A career-conditional employee, except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section;

(2) A career employee when he has completed the service requirement for career tenure or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(c) Acquisition of competitive status. A person whose employment is converted to career or career-conditional employment under this section acquires a competitive status automatically on conversion.

(a) Employee coverage. An employee who was serving in a position when his or her name was within reach for career or career-conditional appointment on a register appropriate for that position may be converted to career or career-conditional employment when:

(1) The employee's name was included on an appropriate certificate issued while the employee was serving in the position, or reconstruction of the appropriate register verifies that the employee would have been within reach;

(2) The register was being used for career and career-conditional appointments when he or she was reached;

(3) He or she has been continuously employed since being reached;

(4) Conversion is initiated either before the expiration of the register or during a period of continuous service since the employee was reached; and

(5) When the employee is a nonpreference eligible who was first reached after February 1, 1955, the Office, or the agency, in accordance with an agreement with the Office, determines that satisfactory reasons existed for passing over any preference eligible who preceded the employee on the register when he or she was reached and who is still within reach and available for appointment.

(b) Tenure on conversion. An employee whose appointment is converted under paragraph (a) of this section becomes:

(1) A career-conditional employee except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section;

(2) A career employee when he or she has completed the service requirement for career tenure or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(c) Acquisition of competitive status. An employee whose employment is converted to career or career-conditional employment under this section acquires a competitive status automatically on completion of probation.

[44 FR 55132, Sept. 25, 1979]

(a) General. Employees serving after February 7, 1968, in competitive positions under indefinite appointments or temporary appointments pending establishment of a register or as status quo employees acquire competitive status and are entitled to have their employment converted to career employment when such employees:

(1) Complete a total of at least 3 years of service in such a position under one or more such appointments without a break in service of more than 30 calendar days or without an interruption by nonqualifying service of more than 30 calendar days;

(2) Have rendered satisfactory service for the 12 months immediately preceding the conversion; and

(3) Meet applicable qualification requirements for the positions and are otherwise eligible for career employment. This paragraph does not apply to employees serving under an overseas limited appointment or in positions above GS-15 or equivalent.

(b) Creditable service. (1) In computing creditable service under paragraph (a) of this section for an employee who left a competitive position in which he or she was serving under a qualifying appointment covered in paragraph (a) of this section to enter the armed forces and who is reemployed in such a position within 120 calendar days after separation under honorable conditions, the period from the date he or she left the position to the date of reemployment is creditable.

(2) The Office shall publish in its operating manuals the conditions under which full-time, part-time, and intermittent employment is creditable in meeting the service requirement under paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Termination after failure to meet conversion requirements. An employing agency shall terminate employees covered by paragraph (a) of this section not later than 90 days after they complete the 3-year service requirement referred to in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, if they have not met the requirements and conditions of paragraphs (a) (2) and (3) of this section before the end of the 90-day period. For an employee who is reemployed after intervening service in the armed forces, the 90-day period begins on the date of reemployment if the employee's combined civilian and military service satisfies the 3-year service requirement on that date.

(d) Administrative error. When an employee has met the service requirement under paragraph (a)(1) of this section but, because of administrative error or oversight, has not been converted to career employment within the time limits prescribed in this section, the employing agency may effect the employee's conversion as of the date on which he or she met the service requirement, even though the time limit for such conversion has expired.

[44 FR 54692, Sept. 21, 1979. Redesignated at 44 FR 63080, Nov. 2, 1979, as amended at 66 FR 66710, Dec. 27, 2001]

(a) Agency action. (1) An agency shall convert the employment of an employee who has served continuously under a transitional appointment for at least 1 year to career or career-conditional employment within 90 calendar days after he completes the program of education or training approved for him.

(2) Within 30 calendar days after an employee completes (i) 2 years of substantially continuous service under a veterans recruitment appointment or under a combination of transitional and veterans recruitment appointments and (ii) his training or educational programs, the employing agency shall convert his appointment to career or career-conditional employment.

(b) Tenure. Upon conversion of his employment, the employee becomes:

(1) A career-conditional employee, except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section;

(2) A career employee if he has completed the service requirement for career tenure or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(c) Acquisition of competitive status. An employee whose employment is converted to career or career-conditional employment under this section, acquires a competitive status automatically on conversion.

[35 FR 5661, Apr. 8, 1970. Redesignated at 44 FR 63080, Nov. 2, 1979]

(a) General. Employees transferred to the Department of Energy under Public Law 95-91, who are serving in nonpermanent appointments made under competitive procedures of the former Atomic Energy Commission or Energy Research and Development Administration and are determined by the Department to be performing continuing functions, may be converted to career or career-conditional by OPM upon recommendation by the Department.

(b) Tenure upon conversion. Employees converted under this section become career-conditional employees unless they have completed the service requirement for career tenure.

(c) Acquisition of competitive status. A person whose employment is converted to career or career-conditional employment under this section acquires competitive status automatically.

[43 FR 14002, Apr. 4, 1978. Redesignated at 44 FR 63080, Nov. 2, 1979]

(a) Eligibility. (1) Subject to requirements concerning qualifications and probationary period published by the Office, an agency may convert the employment of a disabled veteran who meets the conditions below to career or career-conditional employment from a time-limited appointment of more than 60 days.

(2) To be eligible for conversion under this paragraph, the veteran must:

(i) Have been retired from active military service with a disability rating of 30 percent or more;

(ii) Have been rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs since 1991 or later, or by a branch of the Armed Forces at any time, as having a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more; or

(iii) Have been so rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, or by a branch of the Armed Forces, at the time of a qualifying temporary appointment effected within the year immediately preceding, or a term appointment effected within four years immediately preceding, the conversion.

(b) Tenure on conversion. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, a person converted under paragraph (a) of this section becomes a career-conditional employee.

(2) A person appointed under paragraph (a) of this section becomes a career employee if excepted from the service requirement for career tenure by § 315.201(c).

(c) Acquisition of competitive status. A person converted under paragraph (a) of this section acquires a competitive status automatically on completion of probation.

[44 FR 44813, July 31, 1979. Redesignated at 44 FR 63080, Nov. 2, 1979, as amended at 66 FR 66710, Dec. 27, 2001; 73 FR 60611, Oct. 14, 2008]

(a) Coverage. An employee appointed under § 213.3102(u) of this chapter may have his or her appointment converted to a career or career-conditional appointment when he or she:

(1) Completes 2 or more years of satisfactory service, without a break of more than 30 days, under a nontemporary appointment under § 213.3102(u);

(2) Is recommended for such conversion by his or her supervisor;

(3) Meets all requirements and conditions governing career and career-conditional appointment except those requirements concerning competitive selection from a register and medical qualifications; and

(4) Is converted without a break in service of one workday.

(b) Tenure on conversion. An employee converted under paragraph (a) of this section becomes:

(1) A career-conditional employee, except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section; or

(2) A career employee if he or she has completed 3 years of substantially continuous service in a temporary appointment under § 213.3102(u) of this chapter, or has otherwise completed the service requirement for career tenure, or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(c) Acquisition of competitive status. A person whose employment is converted to career or career-conditional employment under this section acquires a competitive status automatically on conversion.

[71 FR 42245, July 26, 2006]

(a) Coverage. This section covers employees serving in occupations that were covered by the Professional and Administrative Career Examination on August 30, 1982, and that were listed in the consent decree entered on November 19, 1981, by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in the civil action known as Luevano v. Devine and numbered as No. 79-271. Those occupations are designated in these regulations as professional and administrative career (PAC) occupations or positions. OPM will publish a listing of PAC occupations.

(b) Eligibility. An agency may, but is not required to, convert appointments of employees occupying PAC positions under nontemporary appointments effected under § 213.3202(1) of this chapter to career or career-conditional appointments at the GS-9 level in any position in a PAC occupation when such employees—

(1) Complete at least 1 year of Schedule B service at the GS-7 level that meets the quality of experience requirement for the GS-9 position in which converted (less than full-time service is credited according to the relation it bears to the full-time workweek);

(2) Demonstrate performance that warrants conversion at GS-9 (a current performance rating of fully successful or better for the year immediately preceding conversion is necessary for this purpose);

(3) Meet all requirements and conditions governing career and career-conditional appointment except those requirements concerning competitive selection from a register;

(4) Are converted without a break in service of one workday or more; and

(5) Are converted as a result of a deliberate decision by management.

(c) Tenure on conversion. An employee converted under paragraph (a) of this section becomes—

(1) A career-conditional employee, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section;

(2) A career employee if he or she has completed 3 years of substantially continuous service in nontemporary appointments under § 213.3202(l) of this chapter, or has otherwise completed the service requirement for career tenure, or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(d) Acquisition of competitive status. A person whose employment is converted to career or career-conditional employment under this section acquires a competitive status automatically on conversion.

[52 FR 25194, July 6, 1987, as amended at 52 FR 43722, Nov. 15, 1987; 66 FR 66710, Dec. 27, 2001]

(a) Agency authority. An agency may convert noncompetitively to career or career-conditional employment, a reader, interpreter, or personal assistant:

(1) Who completed at least 1 year of satisfactory service in such a position under a non-temporary appointment under 5 CFR 213.3102(11); and

(2) Whose employment in such a position is no longer necessary for reasons beyond management control, e.g. resignation or reassignment of the employee being assisted.

(b) Tenure on appointment. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, a person appointed under paragraph (a) of this section becomes a career-conditional employee.

(2) A person appointed under paragraph (a) of this section becomes a career employee when he or she has completed the service requirement for career tenure or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(c) Acquisition of competitive status. A person appointed under paragraph (a) of this section acquires a competitive status automatically on appointment.

[55 FR 12327, Apr. 3, 1990]

(a) Agency authority. An agency may convert to a career or career-conditional employment in the competitive service, without further competition, the following Pathways Participants:

(1) An Intern who has satisfactorily completed the Internship Program and meets all eligibility requirements for conversion under subpart B of part 362 of this chapter;

(2) A Recent Graduate who has satisfactorily completed the Recent Graduates Program and meets all eligibility requirements for conversion under subpart C of part 362 of this chapter; and

(3) A Presidential Management Fellow who has satisfactorily completed the Fellows Program and meets all eligibility requirements for conversion under subpart D of part 362 of this chapter.

(b) Tenure on conversion. An employee whose appointment is converted to career or career-conditional employment under this section becomes:

(1) A career-conditional employee except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section;

(2) A career employee when he or she has completed the service requirement for career tenure or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(c) Acquisition of competitive status. A Pathways Participant converted to career or career-conditional employment in the competitive service under this section acquires competitive status upon completion of probation.

[77 FR 28215, May 11, 2012]

(a) Agency authority. An agency may convert to a career or career-conditional appointment from a time-limited appointment pursuant to 5 CFR part 316, subpart I, without further competition.

(b) Eligibility. To be eligible for conversion the post-secondary student must:

(1) Have completed the course of study leading to the baccalaureate or graduate degree (or certificate as appropriate);

(2) Have completed not less than 640 hours of current continuous employment in an appointment under § 316.902 of this chapter;

(3) Meet the OPM qualification standards for the position to which the student will be converted; and

(4) Meet the time-in-grade requirements in accordance with 5 CFR part 300, subpart F.

(c) Tenure on conversion. An employee whose employment to career or career-conditional employment under this section becomes:

(1) A career-conditional employee except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section; or

(2) A career employee when he or she has completed the service requirement for career tenure or is excepted from it by § 315.201(c).

(d) Acquisition of competitive status. A post-secondary student converted from time limited employment under this section acquires competitive status upon completion of probation.

[86 FR 46106, Aug. 18, 2021]

Any law, executive order, or civil service rule or regulation which would disqualify an applicant for appointment shall also disqualify an employee for conversion of his employment to career or career-conditional employment under this subpart.

[33 FR 12418, Sept. 4, 1968. Redesignated at 44 FR 63080, Nov. 2, 1979]