An agency may enter into a contract or other procurement arrangement with a temporary help service firm for the brief or intermittent use of the skills of private sector temporaries, when required, and may call for those services, subject to these conditions:

One of the following short-term situations exists—

An employee is absent for a temporary period because of a personal need including emergency, accident, illness, parental or family responsibilities, or mandatory jury service, but not including vacations or other circumstances which are not shown to be compelling in the judgment of the agency, or

An agency must carry out work for a temporary period which cannot be delayed in the judgment of the agency because of a critical need.

The need cannot be met with current employees or through the direct appointment of temporary employees within the time available by the date, and for the duration of time, help is needed. At minimum, this should include an agency determination that there are no qualified candidates on the applicant supply file and on the reemployment priority list (both of which must provide preference for veterans), and no qualified disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more under 5 U.S.C. 3112, who are immediately available for temporary appointment of the duration required, and that employees cannot be reassigned or detailed without causing undue delay in their regular work. In instances where a need is foreseeable, as when approval of employee absence is requested well in advance, an agency may have sufficient time to follow the temporary appointment recruiting requirements, including veterans' preference found in 5 CFR part 316 to determine whether qualified candidates are available by the date needed and for the length of service required.

These services shall not be used:

In lieu of the regular recruitment and hiring procedures under the civil service laws for permanent appointment in the competitive civil service, or

To displace a Federal employee.

To circumvent controls on employment levels.

In lieu of appointing a surplus or displaced Federal employee as required by 5 CFR part 330, subpart F (Agency Career Transition Assistance Plan for Displaced Employees) and subpart G (Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan for Displaced Employees.)