The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are making significant efforts to improve the federal hiring experience, focusing on tools to recruit, hire, and retain federal employees. In August they released a joint memorandum on this work, aimed at data analytics, the applicant experience, the hiring manager experience, and empowering human resource professionals. Click here to view the memo in full, as well as guidance and resources for implementation.

Officials from OMB and OPM briefed FMA and other members of the Government Managers Coalition in early September on these initiatives. They asked us to share the following information with all FMA members:

• The Administration has granted Direct Hiring Authorities for AI and AI-enabling roles + Data Science and more.

o AI and AI-enabling roles including but not limited to: Hiring IT Specialists, Computer Scientists, Computer Engineers, or Program Analysts or Program Managers (View the AI and AI enabling DHA policy from Dec 29, 2023)

o Data Science and Operations Research and more (View the Extended Direct Hiring Authority policy from Sept 29, 2023)

• Hiring term-limited, non-technical positions to work on implementation of EO 14110? Use Schedule A(r) Authorities!

• Not sure how to use these new authorities? OPM has presented a Myth Busters presentation.pdf (3/6/2024) that explains how these authorities can be used, and you can learn more in this two-pager. (PDF- Feb 2024)

• OPM released a Memo on Pay Flexibility, Incentive Pay, and Leave and Workforce Flexibility Programs for Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI-enabling, and Other Key Technical Employees. (View the Pay Flexibility Policy- Feb 27, 2024)

Events and Activities

As part of this effort, OPM and OMB are working through a Federal Hiring Experience Learning Series for Fall 2024, including free, government-wide opportunities on Eventbrite for all federal hiring managers and HR practitioners. You must have a .gov or .mil email address to register.

The next event in the series is called Agency Talent Portal: Find the Talent You Need (for the HR Specialist) and will be held on October 16 from 1:00 to 2:30 PM Eastern. This session is for HR specialists to learn about hiring tools such as USAJOBS’ Agency Talent Portal (ATP). Click here to register for free.