(a) Appointment of land management eligibles. (1) Any agency—

(i) May appoint a land management eligible who is a current time-limited employee of a land management agency to a permanent position provided the land management eligible was selected from among the best qualified following competition under a merit promotion announcement open to candidates outside of the hiring agency's workforce; and

(ii) May appoint a land management eligible who is a former time-limited employee of a land management agency to a permanent position provided:

(A) The land management eligible applied for that position within the 2-year period following the most recent date of separation from a land management agency; and

(B) Was selected from among the best qualified following competition under a merit promotion announcement open to candidates outside of the hiring agency's workforce.

(2) In addition, a land management agency—

(i) May appoint a land management eligible who is a current time-limited employee of that agency to a permanent position provided the land management eligible was selected from among the best qualified following competition under a merit promotion announcement open to candidates within that agency's workforce; and

(ii) May appoint a land management eligible who is a former time-limited employee of that land management agency to a permanent position provided:

(A) The land management eligible applied for that position within the 2-year period following the most recent date of separation from a land management agency;

(B) The land management agency from which the land management eligible most recently separated is the same land management agency as the one making the appointment; and

(C) The land management eligible was selected from among the best qualified following competition under a merit promotion announcement open to candidates within that agency's workforce.

(b) Definitions—(1) Agency has the meaning given in 5 U.S.C. 105, and may also mean a major subdivision or component of an entity defined in 5 U.S.C. 105.

(2) Land management agency means any of the following:

(i) The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture;

(ii) The Bureau of Land Management of the U.S. Department of the Interior;

(iii) The National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior;

(iv) The Fish and Wildlife Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior;

(v) The Bureau of Indian Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior; and

(vi) The Bureau of Reclamation of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

(3) Land management eligible means either:

(i) An individual currently serving in a land management agency who:

(A) Initially was hired under competitive procedures, for a time-limited appointment in the competitive service in accordance with part 316, and has not received a permanent appointment;

(B) Has served under one or more time-limited appointments by a land management agency for a period or periods totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; and

(C) Has performed at an acceptable level during each period of service; or

(ii) An individual who previously served in a land management agency who:

(A) Initially was hired under a time-limited appointment under competitive procedures in the competitive service in accordance with part 316, and did not receive a permanent appointment before leaving Federal service;

(B) Served under one or more time-limited appointments by a land management agency for a total period of more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years;

(C) Performed at an acceptable level throughout the service period(s);

(D) Applied for a position covered by these provisions within 2 years after the individual's most recent date of separation from a land management agency; and

(E) With respect to the individual's most recent separation, for reasons other than misconduct or performance. For these purposes, an individual under this paragraph is deemed a time-limited employee of the land management agency from which the individual was most recently separated.

(4) Time-limited appointment means a temporary or term appointment, in accordance with 5 CFR part 316.

(c) Conditions. An agency is expected to consider the application of a land management eligible; and must waive any age requirement unless it can prove that the requirement is essential to the performance of the duties of the position.

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

(e) Tenure on appointment. An appointment under paragraph (a) of this section is career-conditional unless the appointee has already satisfied the requirements for career tenure or is exempted from the service requirement pursuant to § 315.201.

[88 FR 84689, Dec. 6, 2023]