SSA OIG Federal Merit Hiring Certificate
IDCBDM

Hands-on Training from Experts Live Online or Self-Paced

View Schedule (Live Online)

This program includes

  • Live, project-based training from experts
  • Additional 1-on-1 mentoring outside of class
  • Proprietary workbooks included
  • Retake for free within 1 year
  • Verified digital certificate of completion
  • Learn at an accredited institution

This certification program is a customized learning path designed in partnership with GSUSA to meet the immediate training needs of HR professionals working under the Federal Merit Hiring Plan, Presidential mandates, and OPM federal guidance. This certification equips HR specialists with the critical skills needed to support federal staffing, job analysis, qualification determinations, and pay setting processes. With practical, applied learning, participants will be prepared to implement knowledge directly into their HR practices. This program builds upon recent classification training to provide a comprehensive foundation in federal HR policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with current government standards and best practices.

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Courses in this Certificate Program

This is the recommended order, but some courses may be taken in a different order.

Download Syllabus PDF

Unit 1 5 Days

Federal Staffing and Placement Course

This course equips HR practitioners with the expertise to manage federal staffing and placement processes effectively. Participants will gain a deep understanding of recruitment strategies, hiring procedures, and federal regulations to support their agency's workforce needs.

  • The role of HR practitioners in federal staffing and placement.
  • Recruitment methods, hiring procedures, and appointment authorities.
  • Evaluating candidates' qualifications, knowledge, skills, and competencies.
  • Applying merit promotion and in-service placement procedures.
  • Understanding time-in-grade and time-after-competitive-appointment restrictions.
  • Downsizing approaches, including reduction in force (RIF) principles and outplacement assistance.
  • Informing applicants and employees about the civil service employment system.

Unit 2 2 Days

Job Analysis for Federal Hiring Course

Gain the skills to create job-related selection practices that comply with federal regulations and result in higher-quality candidates. This course focuses on job analysis techniques, assessment tool development, and documentation to support hiring decisions.

  • Conducting job analyses that meet OPM and UGESP regulatory requirements.
  • Defining and differentiating knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies.
  • Developing effective applicant assessment tools to improve candidate quality.
  • Identifying and addressing issues in existing assessment tools.
  • Creating documentation to justify rating criteria and support hiring decisions.

Unit 3 3 Days

Qualifications Analysis Course

This course provides HR professionals with the tools to assess applicant qualifications effectively for federal positions. Participants will learn to apply OPM's standards and analyze experience, education, and eligibility to make informed hiring decisions.

  • The role of qualifications analysis in the federal staffing process.
  • Evaluating general and specialized experience using OPM's Qualifications Standards.
  • Crediting education and combining it with experience to determine minimum qualifications.
  • Understanding selective placement factors and quality ranking factors.
  • Applying legal and regulatory requirements for eligibility determinations.
  • Assessing minimum qualifications and eligibility for federal job applicants.

Unit 4 3 Days

Pay Setting: General Schedule Course

This course equips federal HR professionals with the skills to implement and apply complex pay administration rules for General Schedule employees. Participants will learn to handle various personnel actions, including promotions, reassignments, and pay changes, while ensuring compliance with federal policies.

  • Overview of the General Schedule system and pay-setting policies.
  • Setting pay for new appointments, reinstatements, and transfers.
  • Managing reassignments, promotions, and changes to lower grades.
  • Applying grade and pay retention rules.
  • Handling pay changes, severance pay, and movement between pay systems.
  • Administering allowances, hiring incentives, and back pay.

Unit 5 3 Days

Federal Human Resources Management Course

This course introduces participants to the principles and processes of federal human resources management (HRM) within the unique merit system environment. Through expert instruction, participants will explore key HRM functions and their interrelationships to effectively manage federal employees.

  • Principles of federal HRM and their impact on decision-making.
  • Compensation processes, including classification, pay, and benefits.
  • Federal hiring processes and equal pay for equal work.
  • Strategies to improve employee engagement and workforce satisfaction.
  • Performance management, including employee development and appraisals.
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), employee relations, and labor relations programs.

Schedule & Enrollment: SSA OIG Federal Merit Hiring Certificate

  • Price before discounts: $7,045 Full tuition: $6,399
  • Live Online
  • Free retake
  • Expert instructors
  • 1:1 Mentoring included

  • Self-Paced More details
    Start anytime Online only
  • Custom Schedule
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  • Jun 1–Jul 22 Show package courses
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