Foreign policy and sanctions

Executive Order 13749: Providing for the Appointment in the Competitive Service of Certain Employees of the Foreign Service

President: Barack Obama

Allowed qualifying current and former Foreign Service employees to receive career or career-conditional civil-service appointments without another competition.

Status: In effect.

Is Executive Order 13749 still in effect? Yes. Active hiring authority reflected in current OPM competitive-hiring guidance.

What does Executive Order 13749 do?

EO 13749 created a noncompetitive pathway into the competitive service for Foreign Service employees who held an unlimited career-type appointment, completed qualifying service and met normal job requirements. Most applicants must be appointed within three years of separation, with exceptions for veterans’ preference and longer service. OPM continues to describe the authority in its current hiring guidance.

Administration position: The order provides appointment eligibility, not a guaranteed job; candidates must still meet qualification, suitability and agency requirements.
SignedNovember 29, 2016
Eligible groupQualifying current and former Foreign Service employees
Typical time limitThree years after separation

Before and after

Before the order

Older authorities did not provide this updated government-wide pathway for the covered Foreign Service group.

After the order

Agencies could make career or career-conditional appointments without a new competitive examination.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Hiring agenciesVerify eligibility and qualificationsContinuing
OPMMaintain policy and appointment conditionsContinuing
Eligible employeesApply within applicable time limitsIndividual action

What happened next

EO 13749 established the authority.

OPM issued implementation guidance.