Section 550.504 - Other exceptions(a) When a department, agency, or the government of the District of Columbia encounters difficulty in obtaining employees to perform required personal services because of section 5533(a) of title 5, United States Code, it may make an exception from that section upon determining that the required services cannot be readily obtained otherwise. The exception shall specify the position(s) to which it applies.(b) The Office of Personnel Management will publish exceptions of general application.44 FR 54694, Sept. 21, 1979, as amended at 66 FR 66711 , Dec. 27, 2001 5 U.S.C. 1104 ; Pub. L. 95-454 , sec. 3(5)