Effective April 10, 2008, Handbook EL-312, Employment and Placement, is revised to reflect changes to employment and placement programs.
Summary of Changes to Handbook EL-312
743.21, Recruiting for Additional Applicants, is revised to state that an initial posting announcement may be for either internal applicants or both internal and external applicants.
743.52, Review Committee, is revised to state that a review committee is required only when 11 or more applications are received.
743.53, Applicant Selection, is revised to state that the selecting official interviews every minimally qualified applicant.
Handbook EL-312, Employment and Placement
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7 Assignment, Reassignment, and Promotion
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74 EAS Positions
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743 Selection Process
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743.2 External Recruitment
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743.21 Recruiting for Additional Applicants
[Revise 743.21 to read as follows:]
Generally, EAS positions are filled from within the Postal Service. Management is not required, however, to select postal applicants over significantly better qualified external applicants. Every effort must be made to select the individual who best meets the requirements of the position.
The human resources manager initiates external recruitment efforts when requested by the selecting official. To produce an adequate number of well-qualified applicants for a vacant position, external recruitment may be initiated (a) after exhausting the normal internal selection process, or (b) at the same time as the internal selection process.
The announcement sequence and time frame for external posting are as follows:
a. The initial posting announcement may be for either internal applicants OR both internal and external applicants.
b. After the initial posting, if the selecting manager wishes to expand the area of consideration, subsequent postings may be announced to the following applicant pools: (1) wider internal, (2) both internal and external, or (3) external only.
c. If a vacancy is not filled within 180 days from the opening date of the first external posting, and if additional posting of the vacancy is desired, the cycle begins again with a posting announcement that is for either internal applicants OR both internal and external applicants.
External applicants must complete PS Form 2591, Application for Employment. (See Exhibit 743.21, External Recruitment — EAS Vacancies.)
Note: Current Postal Service career employees are not eligible to apply for external job postings.
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743.5 Roles of the Selecting Official and Review Committee
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743.52 Review Committee
743.521 Review Committee Function
[Revise 743.521 to read as follows:]
When 11 or more applications are received, the selecting official with the vacancy must designate a review committee of at least 3 members. As a minimum, either the committee or the selecting official must interview individually every candidate recommended for the position by the committee.
If there are fewer than 11 applicants, the selecting official may: (a) designate a review committee, or (b) interview every minimally qualified applicant. The selecting official must be certified in Personnel Selection Methods Web-based Training. When a review committee is used, the selecting official must verify that each member has met the training requirement.
Two major functions of the review committee are to: (a) assist the selecting official in assessing the applicants, and (b) prepare a memo recommending candidates for the vacant position.
The selecting official and the committee should establish a relationship that includes sharing information concerning (a) the objectives of the office, and (b) how filling the vacant position will support these objectives.
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743.53 Applicant Selection
[Revise 743.53 to read as follows:]
The selecting official, with or without the assistance of a review committee, identifies an applicant whose knowledge, skills, and abilities best meet the requirements of the position, and who has a high probability of successful performance in the position.
a. If a review committee is used, the selecting official may (1) interview the applicants, or (2) make a selection based on the committee’s recommendations.
b. If a review committee is not used, the selecting official (1) reviews the applications, (2) determines which applicants meet the minimum qualifications, and (3) interviews every minimally qualified applicant.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed edition of Handbook EL-312 and into the next update of the online version on the Postal Service™ PolicyNet Web site:
(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet Web site is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)
— Selection, Evaluation, and Recognition,
Employee Resource Management, 4-10-08
