the system of employing and promoting civil servants on the basis of ability

A set of formal personnel rules requiring state governments to hire and promote employees based on merit and to provide covered employees formal protections from partisan influences. See also Classified system.

manner of choosing employees that emphasizes their ability, education, experience, and job performance; rather than their connections or other political factors. In 1883, Congress passed the Pendleton Act, which called for reforms to make sure more federal employees were hired by a merit system and fewer by Presidential appointment. Today, almost 95% of federal civilian employees are hired on a merit basis, through civil service examinations and educational and skill qualifications.

One in which HR activities are governed by uniform and impersonal policies and procedures.