An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Career News | Oct. 7, 2019

What is Direct Hire Authority?

By DCAA Staff Writer

Direct Hire Authority (DHA) is a temporary authority granted to agencies by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to hire individuals in an expedited manner.

DHA allows agencies to:

  • Waive the rating and ranking system (including examinations, if required)
  • Suspend veterans’ preferences
  • Eliminate the “Rule of Three” – where hiring managers are presented the top three candidates

Agencies must still post vacancy announcements and include information about the use of DHA, but when the agency identifies a qualified candidate, an employment offer can be made on the spot and an appointment can be made immediately.

DHA does not waive qualification requirements – all candidates selected using DHA must meet the same qualification requirements as other candidates.

DCAA uses three types of DHA

  • Expedited Hiring Authority – used at job fairs to give on the spot job offers to qualified candidates.
  • Direct Hire for Post-Secondary Students and Recent Graduates – used to collect resumes and transcripts at college job fairs for subsequent job offers.
  • Financial Management (FM) Career Field – allows hiring of individuals in specific FM fields, including auditors.

For more information about positions with DCAA, visit the career center page on our website.

 

Content was removed to align with the President’s executive orders and DoD priorities in accordance with DoD Instruction 5400.17, “Official Use of Social Media for Public Affairs Purposes.”