Executive Order 13124: Amending the Civil Service Rules Relating To Federal Employees With Psychiatric Disabilities
President: Bill Clinton
Extended competitive-status eligibility to qualifying federal employees with psychiatric disabilities after satisfactory excepted-service work.
Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13124 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13124 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.
What does Executive Order 13124 do?
EO 13124 amended the Civil Service Rules to give employees with psychiatric disabilities the same relevant hiring rules as then-covered people with severe physical disabilities or intellectual disabilities. It allowed a qualifying employee with a psychiatric disability, after at least two years of satisfactory service in an excepted-service position and on agency recommendation under applicable requirements, to obtain competitive status without a competitive examination. OPM still identifies EO 13124 among the authorities for Schedule A appointments and explains the two-year route. This is a conditional conversion path, not a guarantee of a job or automatic conversion for every employee with a disability.
Before and after
Before the order
The competitive-status rule named intellectual and severe physical disabilities but not psychiatric disabilities.
After the order
Eligible employees with psychiatric disabilities could earn competitive status after qualifying service.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| OPM | Provide the applicable hiring rules and requirements | Current hiring framework |
| Hiring agency | Assess eligibility, service and any conversion recommendation | Individual determination |
| Qualified employee | Complete required satisfactory service in an excepted-service position | At least two years for the referenced route |
What happened next
EO 13124 amended the civil-service rules.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The order uses federal appointment and civil-service authorities. Eligibility is limited to the covered categories and is subject to OPM regulations and agency requirements; it does not guarantee appointment or conversion.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- OPM — disability employment authorities (opens in a new tab) Official record
- OPM — Schedule A hiring (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on October 1, 2026. How we research →