Reduction in force and termination

(a) Reduction in force. Recent Graduates are in the excepted service tenure group for purposes of § 351.502 of this chapter upon completion of a trial period pursuant to § 11.3 of this chapter. Expiration of a Recent Graduates appointment is not otherwise subject to part 351 of this chapter.

(b) Terminations. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, as a condition of employment, a Recent Graduate appointment expires at the end of the agency prescribed Program period, plus any agency-approved extension, unless the Participant is selected for noncompetitive conversion under § 362.306.

(2) A Recent Graduate who held a career-conditional or career appointment in an agency immediately before entering the Program, and fails to complete the Program for reasons that are not related to misconduct, poor performance, or suitability, may, at the agency's discretion, be placed in a permanent competitive service position, as appropriate, in the employing agency.

[77 FR 28215, May 11, 2012, as amended at 91 FR 49227, Aug. 3, 2026]