(a) Rejoining the DHS-CS. To facilitate future service in the DHS-CS by former DHS-CS employees, the Department aims to:

(1) Maintain communication with former DHS-CS employees to understand their interest in future service in the DHS-CS;

(2) Provide opportunities for former DHS-CS employees to be considered for appointment again to qualified positions; and

(3) Acknowledge former DHS-CS employees' enhancements to qualifications while outside the DHS-CS.

(b) Rehiring. Except as provided in paragraphs (c) through (e) of this section, to be appointed again to a qualified position a former DHS-CS employee must:

(1) Participate again in the assessment program described in § 158.520 for the Department to determine the former DHS-CS employee's current CTMS qualifications; and

(2) Meet employment eligibility and accept and satisfy applicable employment-related criteria as described in § 158.521.

(c) Reassessment. A former DHS-CS employee whose most recent appointment to a qualified position was a renewable appointment or a continuing appointment must participate again in the assessment program described in § 158.520 unless the Department determines otherwise based on factors relevant to the former DHS-CS employee, such as:

(1) Time elapsed since the former DHS-CS employee's most recent appointment to a qualified position under this part;

(2) Similarity of cybersecurity work performed by the former DHS-CS employee since that individual's most recent appointment to a qualified position under this part; or

(3) Similarity of the former DHS-CS employee's CTMS qualifications during the former employee's most recent appointment under this part to the CTMS qualifications of a newly identified assignment under the deployment program in § 158.701.

(d) Former advisory and political appointees. Appointment under this part of a former DHS-CS employee who previously served in an advisory appointment or other political appointment may be subject to additional requirements, including coordination with the Office of Personnel Management.

(e) Prospective advisory appointees. Appointment of any former DHS-CS employee to an advisory appointment is governed by subpart J of this part.