what two agencies run and oversee the civil service system today? describe the functions of both:

The two main agencies that oversee The civil service system in the United States today are The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for managing the federal civil service. OPM's functions include overseeing hiring processes, managing retirement benefits, and developing policies for human resource management across federal agencies. OPM ensures that federal agencies adhere to merit principles and maintains government-wide responsibility for personnel matters. It administers exams for federal jobs, maintains a roster of candidates, sets policies for managing the federal workforce, and provides assistance and services to federal agencies.

The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) primarily acts as a judicial agency for the federal civil service system. Its primary function is to safeguard the merit system by hearing and deciding appeals from federal employees against agency actions. These actions can include wrongful terminations, demotions, and suspensions, as well as allegations of prohibited personnel practices, such as discrimination or retaliation for whistleblowing. The MSPB also conducts studies on the civil service to ensure that personnel actions are fair and merit-based.

Extra: The civil service system was designed to ensure that government employees are chosen and promoted based on merit rather than political affiliation or other non-merit factors. This system is meant to provide stability within the federal workforce and to serve as a check against patronage and arbitrary action by government officials.

The OPM, with its various human resource policy and oversight functions, plays a critical role in maintaining a competent and nonpartisan civil service that efficiently serves the interests of the American people. This includes ensuring fairness in the recruitment process, managing benefits and retirement policies, and ensuring that employees are treated equitably.

The MSPB, on the other hand, provides a mechanism for employees to challenge personnel decisions they believe to be unfair or not in line with merit system principles. By ensuring that employees have a recourse to appeal adverse decisions, MSPB helps maintain a degree of trust within the civil service and encourages agencies to adhere to fair practices in their personnel decisions. This board is an essential part of the system, providing oversight and protection for civil service employees' rights.