In Brief
Three government employees challenged cancellation of their compassionate appointments on the ground that they had applied and been appointed after the rules changed. The amended 1999 rules required minor dependents to apply within one year of the employee's death and attain age 18 by the application date—unlike the previous rule allowing application within one year of reaching majority. All three appellants attained majority years after their parent's death. The Court held that there is no vested right to compassionate appointment; eligibility is determined by rules in force when the application is considered, not when the employee died. The amended rules validly applied to their applications, rendering them ineligible. Cancellation was therefore justified.
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