What's the Pendleton Act?

The Pendleton Act provided that Federal Government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit and that Government employees be selected through competitive exams. ... The act also made it unlawful to fire or demote for political reasons employees who were covered by the law.

What is the Pendleton Act and why is it significant?

The Pendleton Act is a federal law passed in 1883 reforming the civil service and establishing the United States Civil Service Commission. It ended the spoils system of political patronage and established competitive examinations for hiring civil servants.

What was the Pendleton Act and why was it passed?

Following the assassination of President James A. Garfield by a disgruntled job seeker, Congress passed the Pendleton Act, establishing a merit-based system of selecting government officials and supervising their work.