5 CFR §315.609

1. (a)Agency authority. An agency may appoint noncompetitively, for other than temporary or term employment, a United States citizen who has served under nontemporary appointment in a continuing career position of the Panama Canal Commission located in the United States.
2. (b)Service requirement. An agency may appoint such an individual under this section only when, immediately prior to separation from a qualifying appointment with the Panama Canal Commission in the United States, the individual served continuously for at least 1 year under such qualifying appointment or under a combination of such appointment and nontemporary appointment in the Canal Zone Merit System or the Panama Canal Employment System.
3. (c)Time limits.
   1. (1)There is no time limit on the appointment under this section of an employee who:
      1. (i)Is a preference eligible; or
      2. (ii)Has completed at least 3 years of service, which did not include any break in service longer than 30 days, under one or more nontemporary appointments in Panama Canal Commission positions located in the United States or in positions under the Canal Zone Merit System and/or the Panama Canal Employment System.
   2. (2)An agency may appoint under this section an employee who does not meet the conditions in (c)(1) of this section only if no more than 3 years have elapsed since the individual's separation from a qualifying appointment.
4. (d)Tenure on appointment.
   1. (1)On appointment under paragraph (a) of this section, an individual whose qualifying service does not include any break in service of more than 30 days and totals at least 3 years becomes a career employee.
   2. (2)All other individuals appointed under this section become career-conditional employees.
5. (e)Acquisition of competitive status. A person appointed under paragraph (a) of this section automatically acquires a competitive status:
   1. (1)On appointment, if he or she has satisfactorily completed a 1-year trial period, which did not include more than 22 workdays in nonpay status, during qualifying employment with the Panama Canal Commission.
   2. (2)On satisfactory completion of probation if he or she had not previously completed such a 1-year trial period.