Executive Order 10758—Establishing a Career Executive Program Within the Civil Service System

WHEREAS administration of the complex operations of the executive agencies of the Federal Government requires the highest quality of managerial ability and experience; and

WHEREAS it is essential that competent and experienced civil service executives be available in the several executive agencies to assist the heads thereof in effectively administering their agencies and functions; and

WHEREAS action is needed to assure the retention and effective use in the Federal service of the top rank officers and executives of the career civil service of the Federal Government:

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the United States, including section 1753 of the Revised Statutes (5 U. S. C. 631) and the Civil Service Act of January 16, 1883 (22 Stat. 403), and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. Definitions. As used in this order:

(a) "Career executive service" means those line or staff positions in the competitive civil service having significant administrative or managerial characteristics which are designated by the heads of the executive agencies concerned with the approval of the Career Executive Board hereinafter established from among (1) positions in Grade GS-16 and above (and their equivalents) and (2) positions in such grades below GS-16 (and their equivalents) as are hereafter designated, under the authority of this subsection, as additional career executive-program grades by the United States Civil Service Commission (hereinafter referred to as the Commission) upon the recommendation of the said Board.

(b) "Career executive" means an employee in the career executive service.

(c) "Executive agency" means any department, independent establishment, or other instrumentality of the executive branch of the Government of the United States which is, or may hereafter become, subject to the civil-service laws.

SEC. 2. Career Executive Board. There is hereby established the Career Executive Board, hereinafter referred to as the Board, which shall be composed of five members. Three of the members shall be appointed by the President from private life and each of two of the members shall be a representative of an executive agency in consonance with section 214 of the Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 1946, approved May 3, 1945 (59 Stat. 134; 31 U. S. C. 691). One of the agencies so represented shall be the Commission and the other shall be such executive agency, other than the Commission, as the President may from time to time designate. Not more than three of the members of the Board shall be adherents of the same political party. The Chairman of the Board shall be designated from time to time by the President from among the members of the Board.

SEC. 3. Functions of the Board. (a) The Board, after consultation with the executive agencies, shall develop and assist in the application of improved policies, standards, and procedures designed to facilitate the identification, selection, placement, and retention of civil-service career executives, and shall advise the Commission with respect to the issuance of regulations governing such matters.

(b) In performing its functions, the Board shall:

(1) Receive from the heads of executive agencies, in accordance with procedures to be adopted by the Board, nominations made by such heads of career employees who are considered as meeting the qualification standards for career executives established pursuant to this order, and, if concurring in such nominations, recommend that the President designate such individuals as career executives.

(2) Maintain service and experience records of designated career executives and develop a supplementary roster of career executive eligibles for use by heads of executive agencies in filling suitable vacancies occurring in such agencies.

(3) Develop methods of assuring adequate and regular appraisal of career executives to facilitate its referral operations and to help determine whether those who have been qualified as career executives continue to demonstrate the required qualifications.

(4) Assist the Commission and the heads of the several executive agencies in the development of effective programs for the training of career civil-service employees for promotion to positions in the career executive service and for the training of career executives.

(5) Recommend to the Commission changes in position classification practices to permit greater flexibility in the assignment of career executives within the career executive service.

(6) Recommend to the President and to the Commission such steps as will strengthen the career executive program. Legislative proposals recommended by the Board shall be submitted to the President through the Commission in accordance with established practices.

SEC. 4. Entrance into career executive service. An employee may become a participant in the career executive program established by this order only by being designated as a career executive by the President.

SEC. 5. Miscellaneous provisions. (a) Consonant with law, each executive agency represented on the Board under the provisions of section 2 of this order shall, as may be necessary for the purpose of effectuating this order, furnish assistance to the Board in accordance with the aforesaid section 214 of the Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 1946. Such assistance may include detailing employees to the Board, one of whom may serve as its executive secretary, to perform such functions, consistent with the purposes of this order, as the Board may assign to them. Members of the Board may receive transportation and per diem allowances as authorized by the Standardized Government Travel Regulations.

(b) The Commission shall take such action, including issuance of regulations, as may be necessary for carrying out the career executive program established by this order.

(c) The Board shall submit an annual report of its activities to the President through the Commission.

SEC. 6. Revocation. Executive Order No. 10724 of August 12, 1957, is hereby revoked.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

THE WHITE HOUSE,

March 4, 1958.