Statement for the Record Submitted By Janice R. LaChance, Director of OPM

STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD OF

HONORABLE JANICE R. LACHANCE, DIRECTOR

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

for the SUBCOMMITTEE ON BENEFITS

COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

VETERANS EMPLOYMENT: CREDENTIALING (LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, ACCREDITATION, AND APPRENTICE) REQUIREMENTS

MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE:

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS QUALIFICATIONS FOR FEDERAL CIVILIAN OCCUPATIONS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO VETERANS’ TRANSITION ASSISTANCE.

THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (OPM) IS A STAUNCH DEFENDER AND SUPPORTER OF THE EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS OF VETERANS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO BE A LEADER IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF VETERANS. THE MOST RECENT STATISTICS SHOW THAT VETERANS CONSTITUTE 26.7 PERCENT OF THE CURRENT FEDERAL WORK FORCE AS COMPARED TO 11.6 PERCENT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

MOREOVER, IN RECENT YEARS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF NEW FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN VETERANS. VETERANS REPRESENTED 23 PERCENT OF ALL NEW HIRES FOR FULL-TIME, PERMANENT POSITIONS IN FY 1992; HOWEVER, SINCE FY 1993 THIS PERCENTAGE HAS REMAINED AT OR ABOVE 30 PERCENT, DESPITE DECLINES IN BOTH THE NUMBER OF VETERANS AVAILABLE IN THE LABOR FORCE AND FEDERAL HIRING OPPORTUNITIES. IN FY 1998, FOR EXAMPLE, 50,518 NEW FULL-TIME PERMANENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WERE HIRED, AND 31.9 PERCENT OF THESE WERE VETERANS.

OPM HAS FACILITATED THE HIRING OF VETERANS THROUGH SPECIAL AUTHORITIES SUCH AS THE VETERANS READJUSTMENT APPOINTMENT AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS FOR DISABLED VETERANS. OUR POLICY ON JOB ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS RECOGNIZES THE VALUE OF MILITARY EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION THAT RELATE DIRECTLY TO CIVILIAN JOBS. IN EVALUATING EXPERIENCE, AN EXAMINING OFFICE MUST CREDIT A VETERAN’S ARMED FORCES SERVICE AS (1) AN EXTENSION OF THE WORK PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE SERVICE, OR (2) ON THE BASIS OF THE ACTUAL DUTIES PERFORMED, OR (3) AS A COMBINATION OF BOTH, WHICHEVER WOULD MOST BENEFIT THE PREFERENCE ELIGIBLE.

WE SEEK TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE BETWEEN ESSENTIAL JOB REQUIREMENTS, I.E., REQUIREMENTS NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL JOB PERFORMANCE, AND THE NEED TO ENSURE A FULL AND FAIR OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL JOB APPLICANTS. OPM ESTABLISHES EMPLOYMENT POLICY AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL POSITIONS IN THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE. OPM MAY ADD LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS TO THE STANDARD WHEN DEEMED TO BE A BUSINESS NECESSITY. FOR EXAMPLE, APPLICANTS FOR THE MEDICAL OFFICER POSITION MUST POSSESS A LICENSE FROM A STATE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, PUERTO RICO OR U.S. TERRITORY IF PATIENT CARE IS INVOLVED. THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE PUBLISHED IN OPM’S OPERATING MANUAL FOR QUALIFICATIONS STANDARDS FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE POSITIONS. THE STANDARDS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON OPM WEB SITE:

HTTP://WWW.OPM.GOV/QUALIFICATIONS/.

OPM ALSO PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO AGENCIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SINGLE AGENCY STANDARDS TAILORED TO THE MISSION NEEDS OF THE AGENCY. AN AGENCY MUST OBTAIN OPM APPROVAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, AS SPECIFIED IN 5 TITLE U.S.C. 3308.

WE ARE STUDYING OUR QUALIFICATION STANDARDS AND REDESIGNING THE SYSTEM TO FOCUS ON COMPETENCIES NECESSARY FOR SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE OF THE FULL RANGE OF DUTIES, RATHER THAN MERELY ON YEARS OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. WE HAVE JOINED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VARIOUS AGENCIES AND MANAGEMENT COUNCILS, SUCH AS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS’ COUNCIL AND CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS’ COUNCIL, TO DEVELOP OPTIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS AND RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT QUALITY JOB CANDIDATES TO FEDERAL SERVICE.

FINALLY, I WOULD NOTE THAT MEMBERS OF MY STAFF ARE REPRESENTED ON THE INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON CERTIFICATION AND LICENSING OF TRANSITION-ING MILITARY PERSONNEL. WE HAVE MET WITH LEADERS OF THE TASK FORCE TO PRESENT AVAILABLE TOOLS AND INFORMATION FOR CAREER COUNSELING OF SERVICE MEMBERS WHO EXPECT TO ENTER THE CIVILIAN WORK FORCE. WE AGREE THAT TRANSITIONING MILITARY MEMBERS NEED CAREER COUNSELING AND INFORMATION ABOUT CIVILIAN JOB REQUIREMENTS DURING THE EARLY PERIOD OF THEIR MILITARY SERVICE. OPM IS COMMITTED TO KEEPING THE TRANSITIONAL SERVICE MEMBER AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FULLY INFORMED ABOUT EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE INTER-NET. WE CONTINUOUSLY UPDATE JOB INFORMATION AND JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS ON OUR WEB SITE,

HTTP://WWW.USAJOBS.OPM.GOV.

OPM SERVICE CENTERS AND MEMBERS OF MY STAFF REMAIN AVAILABLE TO ASSIST VETERANS, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM MANAGERS, AND AGENCIES IN PLACING VETERANS.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT THIS STATEMENT. I WOULD BE PLEASED TO RESPOND TO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THE SUBCOMMITTEE MAY REQUIRE.

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