The Selective Service System Interconnection Frequently Asked Questions to address items that may come up in the interconnection process. The sections are System Functionality, Regulations and Summary of Verify Selective Service System Registration Task Results and Recommended Actions.
Topic areas available:
- System Functionality
- Regulations
- Summary of Verify Selective Service System Registration Task Results and Recommended Actions
System Functionality
Verify Selective Service System Registration task
| Question | Answer |
| Does the 'Verify Selective Service System Registration' task need to be added to our onboarding workflows? | Agency workflows should not be updated to include this new task. This is a system task that will be automatically added only to eligible new hire records after the initial submission of the OF-306 when they answer ‘yes’ to being born a male after December 31, 1959. |
| If the new hire is born a female, will the task be assigned to verify SSS registration? | No. The task will only be assigned after the initial submission of the OF-306 when they answer ‘yes’ to being born a male after December 31, 1959. |
| If the Task Result is ‘Pending’, we should wait for the interconnection to return a result, is that right? | Yes. The response from the interconnection is expected to update almost instantly, but please allow up to a day. Note, the Selective Service System can be down for maintenance Wednesdays from 6:00-11:00pm CT, so no results will be returned during this time. |
| To confirm, HR has to manually set the Task Result for the Verify Selective Service System Registration task only if the interconnection does not verify registration, is that right? | Yes. Manual action is only needed if the interconnection does not return ‘Verified’ Task Results from automated interconnection response or when using the Refresh Result feature; when this occurs, details can be found in the Verify Selective Service System Registration Task Notes. You will follow your agency policy for the appropriate steps to take in order to complete the task. Refer to the table at the end of this document to help determine when manual action is needed. |
| Is HR able to manually retrigger a new task result response from the interconnection? | Yes. If the initial interconnection response is Error - See Notes, an HR user with permissions to edit task details will have one attempt to click the Refresh Result button. After one attempt, the button will be disabled and users will need to follow their agency policy if further action is needed. |
Interconnection
| Question | Answer |
| Does HR need to do anything with the Task to trigger the interconnection? | No. HR does not need to do anything to trigger the interconnection. The Task will be assigned, and the interconnection will automatically trigger after the initial submission of the OF-306 when they answer ‘yes’ to being born a male after December 31, 1959. If the form is returned for New Hire correction, and the new hire changes the originally submitted Last Name, Date of Birth and/or SSN, when the form is subsequently returned, the interconnection will be triggered to verify registration using the newly update information. |
| Approximately how long will the interconnection take to return the registration status? | The response from the interconnection is expected to update almost instantly, but please allow up to a day. Note, the Selective Service System can be down for maintenance Wednesdays from 6:00-10:00pm CT, so no results will be returned during this time. |
| While waiting for the registration status to be returned, does the HR Specialist have to monitor the task item /note to determine if the process is complete? | The response from the interconnection is expected to update almost instantly but please allow up to a day. Note, the Selective Service System can be down for maintenance Wednesdays from 6:00-10:00pm CT, so no results will be returned during this time. |
| What should I do if the interconnections returns a result of ‘Not Verified’ but the new hire states they did register? | Confirm the new hire’s date of birth, SSN and last name used to register are correct in their questionnaires. If a correction is necessary, return the OF-306 for correction. After the new hire corrects their information and re-submits the form, it will retrigger the interconnection. |
| Will a result of ‘Not Verified’ impede the rest of onboarding? | You should follow your agency policy on how to proceed if registration is ‘not verified’ through the interconnection. Nothing will be done in the system to stop the onboarding process from continuing. |
| If an applicant already has an OPM exemption approval, will a ‘Verified’ result be returned by the interconnection? | The interconnection will return the registration status as identified by the Selective Service System. The new hire should submit their determination documentation as needed according to your agency’s policy. |
OF-306
| Question | Answer |
| Will the OF-306 stay in "pending new hire action" until SSS returns a verified result? | The interconnection does not impact the Form status. You can proceed with using the OF-306 as necessary while the interconnection is working behind the scenes to return a result. |
| What happens to the Task status if the OF-306 must be returned to a new hire? | The Task status is driven by the Task Results associated with the interconnection. The Task is assigned, and the interconnection is triggered after the initial submission of the OF-306 when the new hire answers ‘yes’ to being born a male after December 31, 1959. You can return the OF-306 for correction as necessary or return for the second signature and the Task will remain in an ‘active’ or ‘complete’ state as applicable. If the new hire changes their Last Name, Date of Birth or SSN and re-submits the form, it will retrigger the interconnection and the Task status will update if appropriate. |
Regulations
Registration Requirements
| Question | Answer |
| What has changed with the registration verification process now that it can be done in USA Staffing? | The interconnection between USA Staffing and the Selective Service System does not change the requirements and procedures agencies must follow when onboarding individuals who are or were required to register for the Selective Service System. Through this interconnection, registration verification will assist agencies in complying with existing requirements. Previously this verification process was part of the background investigation process. |
| Where can I find information regarding the requirements of federal agencies for hiring individuals who are/were required to register for the Selective Service System? | Information regarding agencies’ responsibilities is found at 5 CFR 300.701-706. |
| Are agency security offices aware the Selective Service Registration check is no longer a part of the background investigation process? | Yes. The February 2020 change to the Federal Investigation Standards was communicated to agency heads by the Suitability, Credentialing, and Security Executive Agents (OPM and ODNI). Separately, OPM’s Suitability Executive Agent Programs office communicated the change and supplemental guidance to its stakeholder community comprised of agency suitability and security offices in June 2020. |
| If a selectee has not registered for the Selective Service System, and is over the age of 26, what options does the hiring manager have? | The selectee may request a Status Information Letter from the Selective Service to confirm their registration status. Information regarding the status letter is found at Status Information Letter Selective Service System (sss.gov). If the status indicates the individual was required to register and did not do so, the agency may decide not to proceed with appointing the individual. Alternatively, the agency may work with the selectee to request an OPM decision through the submission of a written request to OPM including any explanation and documentation provided by the selectee for a determination that the failure to register was neither knowing nor willful. The determination request may be submitted to Cynthia.Hamilton@opm.gov or may be submitted by mail to: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Attn: Workforce Policy Innovation, 1900 E St, NW, Washington, DC 20415. |
| If a selectee has not registered and is over the age of 26, and the agency still intends to hire, does the agency require OPM approval to do so? | Yes, if the individual’s status with the Selective Service System reflects the individual was required to register and did not do so. The selectee may request a Status Information Letter from the Selective Service to confirm their registration status. For an Executive agency subject to the statutory bar and OPM’s regulations at 5 CFR 300.701-706, should the agency wish to proceed with hiring the individual, the agency must submit a Selective Service Registration Determination Request to OPM. The written request to OPM should include any explanation and documentation provided by the selectee for a determination that the failure to register was neither knowing nor willful. The determination request may be submitted to Cynthia.Hamilton@opm.gov or may be submitted by mail to: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Attn: Workforce Policy Innovation, 1900 E St, NW, Washington, DC 20415. |
| If someone transitions from female to male, are they required to register for the selective service? What if someone transitions from male to female? | The Selective Service System registration requirement is for all persons assigned male sex at birth and if born after Dec. 31, 1959. Information regarding the requirements for registration, including specific guidance regarding transgender individuals, is found at Who Needs to Register . |
| Who owns the final decision on hiring an individual who has not registered? | The final decision regarding a non-registrant’s eligibility for employment lies with the agency considering the requirements of the statutory bar and OPM’s regulations at 5 CFR 300.701-706. Note that an individual who was required to register and has not yet reached the age of 26 may easily register in a matter of a few minutes at Register . |
Registration Determination
| Question | Answer |
| How long does the waiver process "normally' take? | The process time varies and is usually dependent on whether sufficient information has been provided for OPM to make a determination decision. Questions regarding OPM’s determination process may be directed to Cynthia Hamilton at Cynthia.Hamilton@opm.gov . |
| Will you define what: Submit a registration determination request to OPM means? | When a selectee at an Executive agency did not register when required to do so and is no longer eligible to register, the agency may work with the selectee to request an OPM decision through the submission of a written request to OPM including any explanation and documentation provided by the selectee for a determination that the failure to register was neither knowing nor willful. The determination request may be submitted to Cynthia.Hamilton@opm.gov or may be submitted by mail to: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Attn: Workforce Policy Innovation, 1900 E St, NW, Washington, DC 20415. |
Summary of Verify Selective Service System Registration Task Results and Recommended Actions
Verify Selective Service System Registration task Result Responses and next steps
| USAS Task Result | Verify Selective Service System Registration Task Note | Consideration(s) | Next Step(s) |
| Pending | N/A - Wait for the interconnection to return results. | N/A - Wait for the interconnection to return results. | Wait for the interconnection to return results. |
| Verified | Selective Service System Note: SelectiveServiceNumber: XXXX; AccessionDate: XX/XX/XXXX | N/A - The Task is now in a ‘Complete’ state. | N/A - The Task is now in a ‘Complete’ state. |
| Registration has been verified; however, the Social Security Account Number submitted matched more than one record in the Selective Service System. | |||
| Not Verified | Selective Service System Note: Based on the information submitted (e.g., last name, date of birth and SSN), a registration record cannot be found for this individual. | Confirm the new hire’s DOB, SSN and last name used to register are correct; or if eligible, work with the new hire to register. | After the New Hire registers, as applicable, return the OF-306 for correction. Once corrected and re-submitted, the interconnection will trigger again. |
| Obtain registration information or prior exemption/determination from the new hire. | Follow agency policy to upload documentation to the new hire record and set Task Result to ‘Manually Verified’. The Task will update to a status of ‘Complete’. | ||
| Follow agency policy to (a) pursue a Status Information Letter; (b) submit a Registration Determination Request to OPM; or (c) work with the Hiring Manager to seek an alternate selection. | Set Task Result to applicable result response. Depending on the result selected, the Task will update to a status of ‘Complete’. | ||
| Error - See Notes | The Selective Service interconnection system is currently experiencing technical difficulties (code: {#}). Follow your agency policy to continue with verification. | Users with permissions may Refresh Result to manually retrigger the interconnection. If Refresh is not successful, follow agency policy to (a) manually verify registration on the SSS website; or (b) obtain registration information or prior exemption/determination from the new hire. | If Refresh Result has successfully updated the task result, no further action is required. Otherwise, follow agency policy to upload documentation to the new hire record and set Task Result to ‘Manually Verified’. The Task will update to a status of ‘Complete.’ |
| The Selective Service interconnection was successful, however, the response received was not recognized (code: {#}). Follow your agency policy to continue with verification. | |||
| Other – See Notes | Selective Service System Note: There are no records in the Database before January 1, 1960 | The new hire is likely exempt from registration, and they may have responded to “Were you born a male after December 31, 1959?” for the OF-306 incorrectly. Follow agency policy to continue. For example, if the new hire was born before Dec. 31, 1959, you could return the OF-306 form for correction of this question. Or, if the new hire is not yet 18 years old, you can delete the Verify Selective Service Registration task from the record or leave the task result as “Other – See Notes” and add a note to the record or task indicating registration requirements. | Follow agency policy to continue and update the task accordingly (e.g., delete the task or manually change the status of the task to 'Complete'). |
| Selective Service System Note: To register for Selective Service you must be at least 17 Years Old | |||
| Pending Further Action | N/A – Manual selection by the User so no automated system notes are added. | N/A – The Task is now in a ‘Complete’ state. | After Task Result is set, Task will ‘Complete’. |
| Manually Verified | |||
| SIL or Determination Received | |||
| Seek Alternate Selection |