---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 3327"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "3327"
heading: "Civil service employment information"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/3327"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart B — Employment and Retention"
  - "Chapter 33 — Examination, Selection, and Placement"
  - "Subchapter I — Examination, Certification, and Appointment"
---

# §3327. Civil service employment information

- (a) The [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management shall provide that information concerning opportunities to participate in competitive examinations conducted by, or under [authority](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-6) delegated by, the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management shall be made available to the employment [offices](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) Employment [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26).
- (b) Subject to such regulations as the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) may issue, each [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) shall promptly notify the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) and the employment [offices](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) Employment [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) of—
  - (1) each vacant [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) which is in the competitive [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) or the [Senior Executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3) [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) and for which the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) seeks applications from [persons](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-1) outside the [Federal service](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-1), and
  - (2) the period during which applications will be accepted.

  As used in this subsection, “[agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1)” means an [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) as defined in [section 5102(a)(1) of this title](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-1) other than an [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) all the [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in which are excepted by statute from the competitive [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26).

- (c) The [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management may authorize the [Department](/usc/5/10101.md?p=4) of Defense to use flexible outreach methods, including curated prospect sourcing, provided that all hiring opportunities remain publicly accessible and merit-based.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 95–454, title III, § 309(a), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1151; amended Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title XI, § 1110(b), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1075.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 3327, Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 424, which prescribed standards for determination of qualifications of postmasters, including experience in postal field service, seniority, length of service, level of difficulty and responsibility of work, attendance, awards and commendations, and performance rating, was repealed by Pub. L. 91–375, § 6(c)(7)(A), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 776. See section 1001 of Title 39, Postal Service.

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 119–60 added subsec. (c).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 90 days after Oct. 13, 1978, see section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as an Effective Date of 1978 Amendment note under section 1101 of this title.