Executive Order No. 7916, June 24, 1938
The Competitive Classified Civil Service is Extended
BY VIRTUE of and pursuant to the authority vested in me by the
Constitution, by Section 1753 of the Revised Statutes (U.S.C.,
Title 5, Section 631), by the Civil Service Act of January 16, 1883
(22 Stat. 403), and as President of the United States, it is hereby
ordered as follows:
Section 1. Effective February 1, 1939, all positions in the Execu- tive civil service,
including positions in corporations wholly owned or controlled by the United States, which
are not now in the com- petitive classified civil service and which are not exempted
there- from by statute, except (1) policy-determining positions and (2) other positions
which special circumstances require should be ex- empted, are covered into the competitive
classified civil service: Provided, That this section shall not be deemed to apply to
positions filled by appointment by and with the advice and consent of the Senate: And
provided further, That no positions shall be exempted from the competitive classified
civil service under classes (1) and (2) above except such as shall be designated in
subsequent Executive orders issued after investigation showing the necessary and
justification for such exemptions. This section shall also apply to positions affected by
statutes which exempt them from the competitive classified civil service but authorize the
President in his discretion to cover them into such service.
Section 2. Within ninety days from the date of this order the heads of all departments
and independent establishments, including corporations wholly owned or controlled by the
United States, whose personnel or any part thereof is affected by Section 1 of this order,
shall certify to the Civil Service Commission for transmission by it with its
recommendations to the President the positions in their respective departments or agencies
which in their opinion should be excepted from the provisions of Section 1 of this order
as policy-determining or for other reasons.
Section 3. The incumbent of any position which is covered into the competitive
classified civil service by Section 1 of this order shall acquire a classified civil
service status (1) upon recommenda- tion by the head of the agency concerned and
certification by such head to the Civil Service Commission that such incumbent was in the
service on the date of this order and has rendered satisfactory service for not less than
six months, and (2) upon passing a suitable noncompetitive examination prescribed by the
Civil Service Commission under the civil service rules: Provided, That he is a citizen of
the United States and is not disqualified by any provision of law or civil service rule.
Any such incumbent who fails to meet the foregoing requirements of this section shall be
separated from the service within thirty days (exclusive of leave to which he is entitled)
after the Commission reports that he is ineligible for classification unless the head of
the agency concerned certifies to the Commission that such incumbent has rendered
satisfactory service and that he should be retained although without acquiring a
competitive classified status.
Section 4. New appointments to any positions covered into the competitive classified
civil service by Section 1 of this order shall not be affected by the provisions of said
section until the Civil Service Commission shall have established registers of eligibles
for such positions as a result of examinations held in accordance with the civil service
rules and regulations and with this order.
Section 5. The Civil Service Commission shall, subject to the
Civil Service Act, the rules thereunder, and the Classification Act
of 1923, as amended, initiate, supervise, and enforce a system as
uniform as practicable, for the recruitment, examination, certification,
promotion from grade to grade, transfer, and reinstatement of
employees in the classified civil service, other than employees therein
excepted by Executive orders, issued pursuant to clauses (1) and (2)
of Section 1 hereof, which system shall, so far as practicable, be
competitive, with due regard to prior experience and service.
Section 6. Effective not later than February 1, 1939, the heads of the Executive
departments and the heads of such independent establishments and agencies subject to the
civil service laws and rules as the President shall designate, shall establish in their
respective departments or establishments a division of personnel supervision and
management, at the head of which shall be appointed a director of personnel qualified by
training and experience, from among those whose names are certified for such appointment
by the Civil Service Commission pursuant to such competitive tests and requirements as the
Civil Service Commission shall prescribe: Provided. however, that if the head of a
department or establishment requests authority to appointment a presently acting personnel
or appoint- ment director, officer, or clerk, as such director of personnel, such
personnel or appointment director, officer, or clerk may be appointed upon certification
by the Civil Service Commission that he is qualified therefor after passing such tests as
the Civil Service Commission shall prescribe. It shall be the duty of each director of
personnel to act as liaison officer in personnel matters between his department or estab-
lishment and the Civil Service Commission, and to make recom- mendations to the
departmental budget officer with respect to estimates and expenditures for personnel. He
shall supervise the functions of appointment, assignment, service rating, and training of
employees in his department or establishment, under direction of the head hereof, and
shall initiate and supervise such programs of personnel training and management as the
head hereof after consul- tation with the Civil Service Commission shall approve,
including the establishment of a system of service ratings for departmental and field
forces outside of the Classification Act of 1923, as amended, which shall conform as
nearly as practicable with the system established under the said Act. Subject to the
approval of the head of such depart- ment or establishment and of the Civil Service
Commission he shall establish means for the hearing of grievances of employees and present
appropriate recommendations for the settlement thereof to the head of his department or
establishment. He shall serve as a member of the Council of Personnel Administration
hereinafter established, and perform such other functions as the head of the department or
agency after consultation with the Civil Service Com- mission shall prescribe. A director
of personnel may be transferred from one department or establishment to another from time
to time,
Section 7. Effective February 1, 1939, there is established a
Council on Personnel Administration consisting of the directors of
personnel of the several departments and independent establishments,
one additional representative of the Bureau of the Budget,
one additional representative of the Civil Service Commission, and
such additional members as the President shall designate. The
President shall designate one of the members of the Council to act
as chairman thereof, and the Council may designate an executive
director. The Council shall advise and assist the President and the
Commission in the protection and improvement of the merit system,
and recommend from time to time to the President or the Commission
needed changes in procedure, rules, or regulations. When directed
so to do by the President or the commission, the Council shall hold
hearings and conduct investigations with respect to alleged
abuses and proposed changes. The Council shall carry on
programs of study to coordinate and prefect the executive personnel
service in all its branches, and shall report upon the progress
of the personnel administration throughout the service. The Council
shall have an executive committee of five members: one representing
the ten executive departments to be chosen by the Directors of
Personnel thereof; one representing the independent establishments
and agencies to be chosen by the Directors of Personnel thereof; one
representing the Bureau of the Budget to be chosen by the Director
thereof; one representing the Civil Service Commission to be chosen
by it; and one to be designated by the President. Executive Order
No. 5612 of April 25, 1931, is hereby revoked.
Section 8. The Civil Service Commission shall, in cooperation
with operating departments and establishments, the Office of
Education, and public and private institutions of learning, establish
practical training courses for employees in the departmental and
field services of the classified civil service, and may by regulations
provide credits in transfer and promotion examinations for satisfactory
completion of one or more of such training courses.
Section 9. Schedules A and B of the Civil Service Rules, as presently existing,
relating to positions excepted from examination and positions which may be filled upon
non-competitive examination, will be superseded by schedules designating
policy-determining positions and other positions which special circumstances require
should be exempted, which schedules will be set forth in subsequent Executive orders as
provided in section 1 hereof.
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