Washington, DC - The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced it will open a new Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Examination to interested applicants in the near future by posting a job opportunity announcement on USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov). ALJs serve as impartial arbiters at regulatory and benefits-granting agencies.

The number of applications to be accepted will not be limited as in previous years. Instead, all applications received within the specified filing period will be accepted for processing. Individuals who are interested in applying are urged to monitor the USAJOBS web site in the coming weeks.

The updated ALJ Examination involves a full review of applicant qualifications, including specific legal experience and bar status, and a multi-part assessment of relevant competencies, including online and in-person assessments. Applicants who pass the preliminary qualification screening and proceed past an online assessment process will then be scheduled to participate in an in-person assessment process in the Washington, DC, area. Those who successfully complete the examination in its entirety will receive a final numerical rating (including points for veterans' preference, as applicable). The names of eligible candidates will be used by OPM to establish a new ALJ register, which, in turn, will be used to issue certificates to agencies as hiring needs for ALJs arise.

The current register, based on administrations of the existing ALJ examination since 2007, will expire when the new register is established. Candidates on the current register must reapply during the open period for the new job opportunity announcement, and successfully compete under the new examination, if they wish to continue to be considered for employment as an ALJ, without interruption.