(a) General. SL positions may be in either the competitive or excepted service. This section only applies to appointments in the competitive service from a civil service register. Reassignments, promotions, transfers, and reinstatements to SL positions in the competitive service shall be made in accordance with applicable statutory and regulatory provisions. Employment of SL employees in the excepted service is covered by 5 CFR, part 302.

(1) Agency heads are delegated authority to recruit and examine applicants for SL positions in the competitive service, establish competitor inventories, and issue certificates of eligibility in conformance with the requirements of this section, other applicable regulations, and statute.

(2) Agencies shall take such action as OPM may require to correct an action taken under delegated authority.

(3) Delegated authority may be terminated or suspended at any time by OPM for reasons such as, but not limited to:

(i) Evidence of unequal treatment of candidates; or

(ii) Identifiable merit system abuses.

(b) Recruitment. (1) A recruiting plan, with appropriate emphasis on affirmative recruitment, must be developed and followed.

(2) Vacancy announcements must remain open for a minimum of 14 calendar days. The closing date may not be a nonworkday.

(3) State Job Service offices must be notified of the vacancy in accordance with 5 CFR 330.102. Publication in OPM's listing of Senior Executive Service and other executive vacancies, which is provided the offices, will satisfy this requirement.

(c) Evaluation and selection. Examination and selection procedures, and rights of applicants, are subject to the same provisions in statute and regulation that govern civil service examinations and appointments in general.

(d) Records. (1) Agencies must maintain records sufficient to allow reconstruction of the merit staffing process.

(2) Records must be kept for 2 years after an appointment, or, if no appointment is made, for 2 years after the closing date of the vacancy announcement.