{"id":19092,"date":"2021-05-06T20:12:21","date_gmt":"2021-05-06T20:12:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/05\/06\/have-the-dods-special-hiring-practices-hurt-more-than-helped\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:34:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:34:06","slug":"have-the-dods-special-hiring-practices-hurt-more-than-helped","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/pentagon\/2021\/05\/06\/have-the-dods-special-hiring-practices-hurt-more-than-helped\/","title":{"rendered":"Have the DoD\u2019s special hiring practices hurt more than helped?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Department of Defense has dozens of civilian hiring authorities at its disposal, some unique only to that agency, in order to bring on the best and most flexible talent in service of the nation\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But according to the union that represents approximately 300,000 employees at the agency, it is those very hiring authorities that have caused the DoD to struggle in finding and keeping enough talent in key areas like STEM, acquisition<\/a>, financial management, cyber, artificial intelligence and foreign language skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Department of Defense has sought these authorities purportedly in the quest for greater management flexibility, often to the detriment of the long-term job security of employees being hired into the department,\u201d American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley said in a letter<\/a> to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks dated May 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn fact, the misuse of these authorities arguably has been one of the primary factors leading to these persistent skills gaps in the workforce. There has not been a recognition of the inherent contradiction between unfettered management \u2018flexibility\u2019 to set the terms and conditions of employment to deviate from standard Title 5 civil service procedures to preserve an apolitical workforce and the very idea of human capital planning that views employees as possessing both existing skills and potential talent that can be developed only through a long term commitment to those employees as a valuable part of a team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t