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Civil Service System At A Glance

Civil Service System At A Glance

 


The United States Civil Service System can be said to be classified into two general types, the Competitive service and the Excepted service. The Competitive service entails all of the civil service jobs and positions in the executive branch, for the exception of those specifically exempted by law, those appointed by the Senate, and those considered to be in Senior Executive Service. In this particular civil service system, all applicants are considered to be in competition with other applicants under the merit system. 

Most jobs and careers in the civil service system will prove to be considered to be in the Competitive service, however, there are exceptions to certain positions falling under such category. The Excepted service is one that falls under this particular category, though it still will operate on a merit basis system.

However, Excepted service careers and jobs will have their own criteria and hiring requirements in place. Some agencies that fall into this definition are the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Individuals that are in certain Diplomatic positions will also be considered to be within the Excepted service category. 

The Civil Service System in the United States is comprised of fifteen executive departments, though there are also various independent agencies that are also considered to be in the civil service. Among the various executive departments, some include the State Department, Justice Department, Department of the Interior, Education Department, and Agriculture Department. Among the independent agencies are the United States Postal Service, NASA, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. 

 

Understanding The Civil Service Commission

Understanding The Civil Service Commission

 
The civil service in the United States dates back to 1872, which was defined to include all jobs and positions in the various branches of the United States government, for the sole exception being the armed forces.
 
 
The civil service was in essence established due to certain discrepancies involving the potential for abuse of power in regards to governmental jobs. Prior to any legislation being adopted, all government jobs were at the discretion of the president, which meant they could be dismissed at any particular point in time. There was also spoil system in place, which meant that civil service would support political parties they may have been affiliated with. 
 
 
Even though there were strict guidelines or statutes enforced in regards to civil service, the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 would be the first to enact changes to civil service. The Pendleton Civil Service Act would create the United States Civil Service System, which would implement a hiring system based on merit, which would effectively remove the spoil system that was in place prior to the legislation.
 
 
Also, this new legislation is the basis upon which many civil jobs currently require examinations so as to provide for a more competitive environment when filling positions in the civil service.
 
 
The Hatch Act of 1939 would further eliminate prior practice of jobs supporting certain political parties. The Hatch Act stated that civil service employees could not be involved in any political activities while performing their responsibilities and tasks on the job. 

Overview Of The Civil Service Gateway

Overview Of The Civil Service Gateway

 

 

In the United States, the United States Department of State has created a faster and more efficient way for individuals interested in a career in the civil services to file their applications with the Department of State. The Civil Service Gateway is an online hiring system that uses an automated method to accept applications.

The Civil Service Gateway was implemented as a way to provide for a more efficient and less time consuming process when filing applications. Furthermore, the Civil Service Gateway also allows for applicants to have a more hand on experience in terms of being able to check the status of their applications. 

The Civil Service Recruitment Gateway application entails a three step process. One must review the availability or vacancies in regards to the wanted or desired positions or jobs. However, one must already have registered with the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway and provided with at least one federal resume before moving on to the first step of the application process. 

Upon reviewing the vacancies list, a person my provide for various personal information inquiries, as well as questions that are directly related to the position or job which one is applying for. This is used to determine eligibility and to establish the qualifications of the applicant. Upon submitting the application to the Civil Service Gateway online, there will be some documentation that must be faxed to the State Department to complete the application process.