BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act
The BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act would empower the Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to appoint qualified candidates directly to any competitive-service positions at BOP facilities, bypassing most of the usual federal hiring procedures. This direct-hire authority would apply to positions within the BOP at its facilities, and would operate by overriding Subchapter I of Chapter 33 of title 5 of the U.S. Code (the core merit-based, competitive hiring framework) with two exceptions: sections 3303 and 3328 would still apply. The authority is temporary and would expire once 96 percent of the total number of competitive-service positions at all BOP facilities are occupied, as of the enactment date. In short, this bill is intended to speed up staffing at federal prisons by allowing the director to hire directly, subject to a sunset tied to staffing levels.
Key Points
- 1Direct-hire authority for the BOP Director: The Director may appoint qualified candidates to competitive-service positions at BOP facilities without following the usual hiring rules.
- 2Limited scope: The authority applies only to positions at Bureau of Prisons facilities and to competitive-service roles.
- 3Bypassing most competitive-hiring rules: The Director would hire without regard to most provisions of Subchapter I of Chapter 33 of title 5, which governs federal competitive hiring, with two exceptions noted below.
- 4Preserved protections: Sections 3303 and 3328 of Subchapter I would still apply, meaning some specific procedures or protections remain in effect.
- 5Sunset provision: The authority automatically expires on the date when 96 percent of the total competitive-service positions at all BOP facilities are occupied (counted as of the enactment date), ensuring the authority is temporary.