Federal Skills Act of 2023

The Federal Skills Act of 2023 requires the Office of Personnel Management to review and update job classifications and qualification standards for most federal government positions. It limits agencies from requiring specific educational degrees unless legally required for similar jobs in state or local government, and mandates that hiring assessments evaluate actual job skills - not just education - using methods that don’t rely solely on academic credentials. Agencies must publish position descriptions based on required skills and ensure assessments don’t substitute education for demonstrated competencies. The bill aims to make federal hiring more skills-focused while maintaining existing student loan benefits.