(a) Except as provided in §351.703, an employee is qualified for assignment under §351.701 if the employee:

(1) Meets the OPM standards and requirements for the position, including any minimum educational requirement, and any selective placement factors established by the agency;

(2) Is physically qualified, with reasonable accommodation where appropriate, to perform the duties of the position;

(3) Meets any special qualifying condition which the OPM has approved for the position; and

(4) Has the capacity, adaptability, and special skills needed to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position without undue interruption. This determination includes recency of experience, when appropriate.

(b) The sex of an employee may not be considered in determining whether an employee is qualified for a position, except for positions which OPM has determined certification of eligibles by sex is justified.

(c) An employee who is released from a competitive level during a leave of absence because of a corpensable injury may not be denied an assignment right solely because the employee is not physically qualified for the duties of the position if the physical disqualification resulted from the compensable injury. Such an employee must be afforded appropriate assignment rights subject to recovery as provided by 5 U.S.C. 8151 and part 353 of this chapter.

(d) If an agency determines, on the basis of evidence before it, that a preference eligible employee who has a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more is not able to fulfill the physical requirements of a position to which the employee would otherwise have been assigned under this part, the agency must notify the OPM of this determination. At the same time, the agency must notify the employee of the reasons for the determination and of the right to respond, within 15 days of the notification, to the OPM which will require the agency to demonstrate that the notification was timely sent to the employee's last known address. The OPM shall make a final determination concerning the physical ability of the employee to perform the duties of the position. This determination must be made before the agency may select any other person for the position. When the OPM has completed its review of the proposed disqualification on the basis of physical disability, it must sent its finding to both the agency and the employee. The agency must comply with the findings of the OPM. The functions of the OPM under this paragraph may not be delegated to an agency.

(e) An agency may formally designate as a trainee or developmental position a position in a program with all of the following characteristics:

(1) The program must have been designed to meet the agency's needs and requirements for the development of skilled personnel;

(2) The program must have been formally designated, with its provisions made known to employees and supervisors;

(3) The program must be developmental by design, offering planned growth in duties and responsibilities, and providing advancement in recognized lines of career progression; and

(4) The program must be fully implemented, with the participants chosen through standard selection procedures. To be considered qualified for assignment under §351.701 to a formally designated trainee or developmental position in a program having all of the characteristics covered in paragraphs (e)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, an employee must meet all of the conditions required for selection and entry into the program.

[51 FR 319, Jan. 3, 1986, as amended at 60 FR 3063, Jan. 13, 1995]