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For all Standard USA Hire Assessments, applicants who self-assert minimum qualifications for the position are notified that they may complete the USA Hire Assessment anytime from the point their USA Hire invitation URL is sent until 48 hours after the closing date of the JOA. The assessment window for each applicant is dependent on when the applicant applies. For example, if a JOA is open for five (5) days and an applicant applies on day one, the applicant will have seven (7) days to complete the USA Hire Assessment. If an applicant applies at 11:59 pm on day five, the applicant will have 48 hours to complete the USA Hire Assessment. For valid late filers or applicants requesting RA, if the announcement has already closed, they will have 48 hours from the time their USA Hire invitation URL is sent to complete the USA Hire Assessment. If the announcement is still open, RA applicants may complete the USA Hire Assessment anytime from the point their USA Hire invitation URL is sent until 48 hours after the closing date of the JOA.
Extending Applicant USA Hire Assessment Window
If you would like to order assessments to extend or resubmit the applicant’s ability to complete USA Hire Assessments, complete the steps found in Appendix E-8. Ordering or Extending USA Hire Assessments.
Scoring and Rating
Applicants will remain in a PA status until assessments are completed and results are received by USA Staffing. Scores are received as soon as an applicant completes the full battery of USA Hire Assessments. USA Hire score results are reused for one year in subsequent applications for vacancies using the same USA Hire Assessments.
The final applicant score may not be immediately calculated and displayed in the USA Staffing application.
- When USA Hire is the only assessment used for rating in Assessment Package > Assessment Plan, then the applicant’s final rating is immediately calculated and displayed after scores are received by USA Staffing.
- When USA Hire is combined with one or more assessments used for rating in Assessment Package > Assessment Plan, then the scores must be standardized before they can be combined into a single final rating. The final applicant score is calculated only once the job announcement close date has passed and the USA Hire scores have been received. Applicants will remain in a “PA" record status until this occurs.
Applicants who do not complete the required assessments within the applicable assessment close window (i.e., 48 hours after the JOA close date or 48 hours after they receive the USA Hire invitation URL) are automatically rated ineligible and assigned the NOR message code IOIM (You were not considered because you failed to complete one or more assessments required for this position).
Applicant statuses may fall into several categories. The primary application Record Status Code (RSC) associated with USA Hire statuses include:
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PA (Pending Assessment): Indicates an applicant has been granted access to the USA Hire Assessment and needs to complete it to be considered for the position. An applicant:
- Should have received a URL via email to access the USA Hire Assessment.
- Can log into their USAJOBS account, locate the applicable application, and click on Track this application to find the assessment notification email which contains the URL for the USA Hire Assessment.
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- Applicants awaiting RA adjudication will be in PA status even though they have yet to receive a link to complete the USA Hire Assessment.
- HR Users can find the scores and statuses for individual assessments already in progress, by clicking on the Rating Details page in the applicant record.
- All PA applicants will be automatically converted to either eligible (AA) or ineligible (IN) after the USA Hire Assessment close date.
- When your assessment plan contains a USA Hire Writing Skills Assessment, applicants may remain in a PA or Pending Score (PS) status if their essay submission was flagged for manual scoring. Once the essay is manually scored by a human, the score will be pushed to USA Staffing.
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AA (Active and Available): Indicates an applicant is considered tentatively qualified for the position. This could be the case for one of two reasons. They have:
- Completed all of the required assessments.
- Completed the other assessment(s) in USA Staffing (e.g. minimum qualification questions, etc.) and have previously taken the same USA Hire Assessment within the last year, and the assessment results are being reused for their current application.
- IN (Ineligible): Indicates an applicant failed to qualify for the position as they have self-asserted, they do not possess the minimum qualifications or other screen-outs for the position, did not possess the minimum proficiency level for the position, or they failed to complete their assessments within the timeframe provided.
In addition to each application Record Status Code, each application record will be assigned a USA Hire Status. The statuses will be displayed within each application and summarized on the Applicant Overview tab. Applicants’ USA Hire Status are also visible on an applicant saved list and may be used as a filter option. The following statuses may be displayed:
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- Not Applicable: Applicant is not eligible to complete the USA Hire batteries for any of the vacancy rating combinations based on their responses to the announcement/assessment questionnaire.
- Pending Completion: Applicant has not yet completed their USA Hire assessments for all the rating combinations where they are eligible to complete them, and the USA Hire assessment window is still open.
- Complete: Applicant has completed all USA Hire batteries for the rating combinations where they were eligible to complete them.
- Did Not Complete: Applicant has not completed any USA Hire batteries for the rating combinations where they were eligible to complete them, and the USA Hire assessment window is closed.
- Partially Complete: Applicant has completed some of the USA Hire batteries (completed for at least one rating combination but did not complete for at least one other rating combination), and the USA Hire Assessment window is closed.
- Undetermined (Re-Rate Required): The applicant’s USA Hire status has not been determined because it was last rerated prior to the feature going into effect. A re-rate will apply the appropriate USA Hire status.