If a position is not filled through noncompetitive procedures, then it is filled competitively through employee applications in response to a vacancy announcement.
The following procedures apply:
- The employee must submit an application via the applicant tracking system during the posting’s open period. Exception: See 772.2(b) regarding employees who are not able to apply through the applicant tracking system as a result of active military service.
- The employee may submit an application for each position and location for which the employee is eligible for competitive consideration.
- The employee will be assessed in accordance with the competitive process, including the requirement to qualify based on the applicable examination required.
Exception: Employees who meet at least one of the following conditions are not required to qualify based on the applicable examination requirements:
- Employees who currently qualify based on applicable examination requirements. Such employees are not required to retake the examination. (In-service examination results are valid indefinitely.)
- Employees grade EAS-17 and above.
- Employees who formerly held the position of Supervisor, Customer Services, or Supervisor, Distribution Operations.
- The selecting official will make a selection in accordance with the competitive process.
Selecting officials are usually responsible for defining the area of consideration.
The following applies:
- The area of consideration may be limited during periods of organizational change.
- The minimum area of consideration is all career employees in the local area of consideration before expanding the area of consideration to area-wide or service-wide. (See 743.13.)
- All eligible career bargaining and nonbargaining employees (including Field, Headquarters, and Headquarters field units) may apply if their current work location (duty station) is located within the area of consideration stated in the vacancy announcement.
Human Resources may initiate external recruitment when vacancies are not filled by internal placement of employees (see 753.32). Note: Current Postal Service career employees are not eligible to apply for external job postings. If external recruitment is limited to a geographic area, the posting must state that the geographic limitation does not apply to preference-eligible applicants (including preference-eligible noncareer employees).
Internal vacancy announcements are posted via the applicant tracking system, and must be posted for no less than 15 calendar days. The announcement must include the following information about the vacant position:
- Geographic area of consideration.
- Job title.
- Occupation code.
- Grade.
- Duty station.
- Functional purpose, duties and responsibilities, and requirements of the position.
- Work hours.
- Nonscheduled days.
If one or more of these elements requires frequent change in order to meet operational requirements, the announcement must state this.
Note: Exceptions to the minimum posting period may apply. (See 743.171, “Exceptions to 15-Day Posting of Nonbargaining Vacancy Announcements.”)
If a vacancy is not filled by internal placement of employees, it may be filled externally with the appropriate approval from Field or National Human Resources as required.
If a vacancy is filled externally, it may be filled either:
- Noncompetitively (see 233); or
- Competitively. The following applies:
- Competitive external postings for Supervisor, Customer Services, and Supervisor, Distribution Operations, vacancies are posted on usps.com/careers (see 42). The area of consideration may be limited to current noncareer employees and veterans’ preference eligibles other than current career employees, who are not eligible to apply to external postings.
- When limiting consideration in this manner, include the following statement: “Eligibility to apply is limited to current noncareer Postal Service employees and persons entitled to veterans’ preference. Current career Postal Service employees are not eligible to apply.”
Alternate arrangements may be made for preference-eligible persons and for noncareer employees performing military service who are unable to apply via the applicant tracking system.
Applications must be submitted by the date and time specified in the vacancy announcement.
