Personnel Practices

GAO reviewed the conversion of political appointees to career positions from January 1 through November 30, 1992. In total, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reported that it had processed and approved the conversion of 13 noncareer Senior Executive Service (SES) and Schedule C appointees during that period. Of the 13 conversions, nine were to career General Schedule/General Management appointments and four were to career SES appointments. All nine conversions to career General Schedule/General Management appointments consisted of Schedule C appointments. The four conversions to career SES appointments were all noncareer SES appointees. In all but one instance, the Schedule C and noncareer SES appointees converted to career appointments in the same agencies. OPM also reported that during that period, six conversions received were not processed. OPM officials said that these cases either had been withdrawn by the requesting agencies after discussions with OPM or had not been processed to completion because they did not meet the merit and fitness requirements of civil service rules. GAO did not look into the reasons why these cases had not been processed. Two of the six involved noncareer SES appointees, and four involved Schedule C appointees. OPM also reported that as of November 1992, another five cases were in process--all Schedule C appointees.

GAO found that: (1) the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) processed and approved the conversion of 13 noncareer political appointees, of which 9 were career GS/GM appointments and 4 were senior executive service positions; (2) OPM did not process six conversions because they were either withdrawn by the requesting agency or they did not meet civil service merit and fitness requirements; and (3) as of November 30, 1992, five additional conversions were in process.