98-28473. Student Educational Employment Program  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 206 (Monday, October 26, 1998)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 57045-57046]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-28473]
    
    
    
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    Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 206 / Monday, October 26, 1998 / 
    Rules and Regulations
    
    [[Page 57045]]
    
    
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    OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
    
    5 CFR Parts 213 AND 315
    
    RIN 3206-AH82
    
    
    Student Educational Employment Program
    
    AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final 
    regulations governing the Student Educational Employment Program. The 
    regulations recodify the two components of the Program; implement 
    Executive Order 13024, which permits noncompetitive conversion of 
    certain employees of the Student Educational Employment Program to term 
    appointments; clarify certain definitions; and make related editorial 
    changes to part 315.
    
    DATES: Effective date: November 25, 1998.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael J. Mahoney, 202-606-0830, FAX 
    202-606-0390, or TDD 202-606-0023.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OPM issued interim regulations with a 
    request for comments on December 2, 1997 (62 FR 63627). Comments were 
    received from two agencies. One agency concurred with our 
    clarifications regarding the definition of ``student'' and ``break in 
    program.'' Another agency suggested that we broaden the definition of 
    ``student'' to include individuals in non-traditional curriculums which 
    do not require them to be in actual physical attendance at an 
    accredited school. We have adopted this suggestion on the basis that 
    actual physical attendance excludes students at accredited schools and 
    institutions who are taking curriculums which do not require them to be 
    present in a traditional classroom setting (e.g., courses whose 
    participation is through correspondence, video-taped lecture/
    instruction, the internet, or telecon and video-telecon media). We have 
    been operating with the current definition of a student since 1977. At 
    that time, accessible technology had not become so advanced that 
    students regularly took educational courses outside the traditional 
    classroom. We believe this is no longer the case as there is a growing 
    popularity of ``nontraditional'' curricula offered by accredited 
    academic institutions. Removing the requirement for actual physical 
    attendance will benefit agencies by providing them with a wider pool of 
    potential appointees from which to recruit. Likewise, this change will 
    mean career opportunities for a wider population of students.
        We are also changing the references to ``Training Expenses'' and 
    ``Tuition Assistance.'' These terms are misleading in that they imply 
    that agencies may use their training authority in 5 U.S.C. chapter 41 
    and 5 CFR part 410 to pay for any educational or training expense and/
    or academic degrees. We are clarifying these references to let agencies 
    know they may use their training authority to pay all or part of 
    training expenses directly related to students' official duties.
    
    Documentation on SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action
    
        For noncompetitive conversions from the Student Educational 
    Employment Program to term, career, and career-conditional 
    appointments, agencies should cite Legal Authority Code ZJM on the SF-
    50, Notification of Personnel Action. The legal authority is Executive 
    Order 12015.
    
    Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        I certify that this regulation will not have a significant impact 
    on a substantial number of small entities because it affects only a 
    certain number of Federal employees.
    
    List of Subjects in 5 CFR Parts 213 and 315
    
        Government employees, reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
    
    Office of Personnel Management.
    Janice R. Lachance
    Director.
    
        Accordingly, OPM is amending part 213 and part 315 of title 5, Code 
    of Federal Regulations, as follows:
    
    PART 213--EXCEPTED SERVICE
    
        1. The authority for part 213 continues to read as follows:
    
        Authority: 5 U.S.C. 3301 and 3302, E.O. 10577, 3 CFR 1954-1958 
    Comp., p. 218; Sec. 213.101 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 2103; 
    Sec. 213.3102 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 3301, 3302, 3307, 8337(h), 
    and 8456; E.O. 12364, 47 FR 22931, 3 CFR 1982 Comp., p. 185; and 38 
    U.S.C. 4301 et seq.
    
        2. In Sec. 213.3202, paragraphs (a)(2), (a)(9), (b)(2), (b)(9), 
    (b)(11)(i), and (b)(17) are revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 213.3202  Entire executive civil service.
    
        (a) * * *
        (2) Definition of student: A student is an individual who has been 
    accepted for enrollment, or who is enrolled, as a degree (diploma, 
    certificate, etc.) seeking student in an accredited high school, 
    technical or vocational school, 2-year or 4-year college or university, 
    graduate or professional school. If the student is enrolled, the 
    student must be taking at least a half-time academic/vocational/ or 
    technical course load. The definition of half-time is the definition 
    provided by the school in which the student is enrolled. Students need 
    not be in actual physical attendance, so long as all the other 
    requirements are met. An individual who needs to complete less than the 
    equivalent of half an academic/vocational or technical courseload in 
    the class enrollment period immediately prior to graduating is still 
    considered a student for purposes of this program.
    * * * * *
        (9) Training expenses: Observing the prohibitions in 5 U.S.C. 4107, 
    agencies may use their training authority in 5 U.S.C. chapter 41 and 5 
    CFR part 410 to pay all or part of training expenses directly related 
    to students' official duties.
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
        (2) Definition of student: A student is an individual who has been 
    accepted for enrollment, or who is enrolled, as a degree (diploma, 
    certificate, etc.) seeking student in an accredited high
    
    [[Page 57046]]
    
    school, technical or vocational school, 2-year or 4-year college or 
    university, graduate or professional school. If the student is 
    enrolled, the student must be taking at least a half-time academic/
    vocational/ or technical course load. The definition of half-time is 
    the definition provided by the school in which the student is enrolled. 
    Students need not be in actual physical attendance, so long as all the 
    other requirements are met. An individual who needs to complete less 
    than the equivalent of half an academic/vocational or technical 
    courseload in the class enrollment period immediately prior to 
    graduating is still considered a student for purposes of this program.
        (9) Training expenses: Observing the prohibitions in 5 U.S.C. 4107, 
    agencies may use their training authority in 5 U.S.C. chapter 41 and 5 
    CFR part 410 to pay all or part of training expenses directly related 
    to students' official duties.
    * * * * *
        (11) Program requirements for noncompetitive conversion. (i) 
    Students, who are U.S. citizens, may be noncompetitively converted from 
    the Student Career Experience Program to a term, career or career-
    conditional appointment under Executive Order 12015 (as amended by 
    Executive Order 13024) when students have:
    * * * * *
        (17) Tuition assistance. Observing the prohibitions in 5 U.S.C. 
    4107, agencies may use their training authority in 5 U.S.C. chapter 41 
    and 5 CFR part 410 to pay all or part of training expenses directly 
    related to students' official duties.
    * * * * *
    
    PART 315--CAREER AND CAREER-CONDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT
    
        4. The authority citation for part 315 continues to read:
    
        Authority: 5 U.S.C. 1302, 3301, 3302; E.O. 10577, 3 CFR, 1954-
    1958 Comp., page 218, unless otherwise noted.
    
        Secs. 315.601 and 315.609 also issued under 22 U.S.C. 3651 and 
    3652.
        Secs. 315.602 and 315.604 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 1104.
        Sec. 315.603 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 8151.
        Sec. 315.605 also issued under E.O. 12034, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 
    111.
        Sec. 315.606 also issued under E.O. 11219, 3 CFR, 1964-1965 
    Comp., p. 303.
        Sec. 315.607 also issued under 22 U.S.C. 2506.
        Sec. 315.608 also issued under E.O. 12721, 3 CFR, 1990 Comp., p. 
    293.
        Sec. 315.610 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 3304(d).
        Sec. 315.710 also issued under E.O. 12596, 3 CFR, 1987 Comp., p. 
    229.
        Subpart I also issued under 5 U.S.C. 3321, E.O. 12107, 3 CFR, 
    1978 Comp., p. 264.
    
        5. In Sec. 315.201, paragraph (b)(1)(ix) is revised to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 315.201  Service requirement for career tenure.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
        (1) * * *
        (ix) The date of nontemporary excepted appointment under 
    Sec. 213.3202(b) of this chapter, provided the student's appointment is 
    converted to career or career-conditional appointment under Executive 
    Order 12015, with or without an intervening term appointment, and 
    without a break in service of one day.
    * * * * *
    [FR Doc. 98-28473 Filed 10-23-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6325-01-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
10/26/1998
Department:
Personnel Management Office
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
98-28473
Pages:
57045-57046 (2 pages)
RINs:
3206-AH82: Student Educational Employment Program
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/3206-AH82/student-educational-employment-program
PDF File:
98-28473.pdf
CFR: (11)
5 CFR 213.3202(b)
5 CFR 213.3102
5 CFR 213.3202
5 CFR 315.201
5 CFR 315.603
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