Streamlining Vetting Processes in Support of the Merit Hiring Plan

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memorandum to emphasize the administration's mandate that agencies implement policies meant to streamline vetting of applicants, new hires, and current employees. The memorandum directed agencies to use an electronic system for automated vetting of individuals as a replacement for human review of adjudication of risks posed by individuals in cases without specific identified risks. OPM indicated that not using the automated system was an option for agencies only when they could show data supporting the decision not to use it. The memo also required agencies to complete the enrollment of employees in positions designated "Public Trust" positions (usually those entailing access to individual's financial information or other sensitive information that is not national security information) in "continuous vetting" instead of periodic reinvestigations.