71 Pa.C.S. § 2405 – Provisional appointments

(a) Accelerated examination program.— The Office of Administration may authorize an accelerated examination program for the position to be filled if:
1. (1) there is a great and urgent public need to fill a vacancy in a position in the classified service;
2. (2) the Office of Administration is unable to certify an eligible for the vacancy from an eligible list or arrange for a reassignment, transfer, promotion or other means of filling the vacancy with a qualified employee; and
3. (3) there is no regular examination immediately available.
(b) Elements of program.— The accelerated examination program shall include:
1. (1) Abbreviated, localized advertising for the position to ensure open competition.
2. (2) Rapid processing and evaluation of the qualifications of applicants, ranking the applicants as well qualified, qualified and not qualified.
3. (3) Certification of applicants determined to be well qualified and qualified for the position.
(c) Appointment.— The appointing authority shall appoint applicants determined to be well qualified. If insufficient well-qualified applicants are available, the appointment shall be made from the qualified group.
(d) Test period.— The appointee shall serve a six-month working test period upon successful completion of which the appointee shall be granted probationary status. Failure to successfully complete the working test period shall result in termination.
(e) Successive appointments prohibited.— Successive provisional appointments of the same individual may not be made to the same position or classification.
(f) Rights of provisional status.— The acceptance of a provisional appointment shall not confer upon the appointee rights of promotion, reinstatement or reassignment to another classification while in provisional status.