What agencies need to know about login.gov and USAJOBS.gov

What is login.gov?

login.gov is a service that offers secure and private online access to government programs, such as federal benefits, services and applications. With a login.gov account, you can sign into multiple government websites (that are using login.gov) with the same email address and password.

Why is USAJOBS using login.gov?

login.gov uses two-factor authentication and stronger password criteria, that meet new National Institute of Standards of Technology requirements for secure validation and verification. By using login.gov, you will get an extra layer of security to help protect your USAJOBS profile against password compromises.

What will happen to my USAJOBS profile information?

Nothing will happen to the information stored in your USAJOBS profile.  You will keep all of your applications, saved searches and saved jobs.

Once you set up a login.gov account, we’ll link it back to your USAJOBS profile. Whenever you come back to USAJOBS, you’ll use your login.gov email address, password and security code to sign into USAJOBS.

What do USAJOBS users need to do?

Once USAJOBS starts using login.gov, you will need to create a login.gov account, if you don’t already have one. login.gov will walk you through each step of the account set-up. It’s a simple process, but here are a few things to know:

• You’ll only need to create the login.gov account once.
• You’ll need to enter an email address to start the account set up­–you need to use the same email address that you use for USAJOBS (either your primary or secondary email address).
• You’ll need a working phone number (mobile or landline), because login.gov will send you a security code.
• You’ll use your login.gov email address, password and security code, every time you want to sign into USAJOBS.

Once you finish setting up your login.gov account, you’ll go back to USAJOBS to finish linking your USAJOBS profile to your login.gov account.

What if a USAJOBS user already has a login.gov account?

If you already have a login.gov account, you don’t need to create a second one. Use your existing login.gov email address and password, plus the security code to sign into USAJOBS.

How is USAJOBS letting their users know about the change?

Nov. 20 - Two weeks before we switch to login.gov

We are emailing all USAJOBS account holders who use a .mil, .gov or .edu email address that we’re changing the sign in process soon and we recommend they update their primary email to use a personal (non-government) email address. View a copy of the email: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/email/update-your-gov-edu-mil-email-address/.

Dec. 11^th - The day we switch to login.gov

We are:

• Emailing all users that we’re now using login.gov and will give them a specific call-to-action to create a login.gov account or use an existing login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS. View a copy of the email: https://federalist-proxy.app.cloud.gov/site/usajobs/responsive-emails/auth-transition-now-using.html
• Updating content on USAJOBS.gov to talk about the switch to login.gov including:
  • A "create login.gov account" message near the Sign In link—this will include a link to the login.gov transition page.
  • A transition page—all users will see the transition page when they try to sign into USAJOBS. The page routes users to login.gov to create a new account, or sign in using an existing account.
  • Updated Help Center to point to login.gov help content where necessary.

Where can I send users for more information or help?

Why we’re using login.gov or what users need to do

Send users to:

• What is login.gov and why do I have to create an account? - This is an FAQ that explains what login.gov is, why we’re using it and other questions.
• USAJOBS and login.gov transition page - This page routes the user to login.gov to create a new account, or sign in using an existing account.
• login.gov - for general questions about their service.

NOTE: These pages will not be available until release 6.8 is pushed to our production service.

Passwords or signing into login.gov

Users will no longer manage their passwords on USAJOBS.gov—they now must manage their password at login.gov.

• Send users to the login.gov help section or https://login.gov/contact/
• Do not send users to the USAJOBS Help Desk if they are having issues with their password, security code or any other problems with their login.gov account.

International numbers and the login.gov security code

You can choose to receive the login.gov security code via text or phone call. Text messages will work for any mobile number, including international numbers. However, if you sign up to receive a phone call, you can only use a U.S., Canada or Mexico-based phone number. login.gov can’t call numbers outside of the U.S., Canada or Mexico. As an alternative to receiving a text or phone call, you can also use an authenticator app. Read more at login.gov.

Linking their USAJOBS profile information to login.gov

Send users to the USAJOBS Help Desk for issues linking their USAJOBS profile information to their login.gov account.

For any issues signing into login.gov, send users to https://login.gov/contact/

General questions about login.gov and their service

Send users to login.gov—their site does a good job explaining the service.

What else do I need to know about login.gov?

The best thing you can do to help our users, is to create your own login.gov account and USAJOBS profile.

On December 4th:

1. Start by reading What is login.gov and why do I have to create an account?
2. Go to our transition page, and follow the steps to create a login.gov account.
3. Complete each step of the login.gov account set-up and make sure go back to USAJOBS to finish the process.