Gerry Crispin always seems to be the one person on top of this. I guess the fact that he works with SHRM on their responses to the definition of ´Applicant´ has a lot to do with that. Regardless of the reason, Gerry has once again presented this to us all so that we can not only understand the ruling, but decide how to best adapt our own best practices to accommodate this new definition.

As copied from his CareerXroads blog located here, this is the final regulation of what defines an applicant:

The final regulation, published Oct. 7 in the Federal Register: 

Sec.  60-1.3  Definitions.

Internet Applicant.

(1) Internet Applicant means any individual as to whom the following four criteria are satisfied:

    (i) The individual submits an expression of interest in employment through the Internet or related electronic data technologies;

    (ii) The contractor considers the individual for employment in a particular position;

    (iii) The individual's expression of interest indicates the individual possesses the basic qualifications for the position; and,

    (iv) The individual at no point in the contractor's selection process prior to receiving an offer of employment from the contractor, removes himself or herself from further consideration or otherwise indicates that he or she is no longer interested in the position.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (1)(i) of this definition, ``submits an expression of interest in employment through the Internet or related electronic data technologies,'' includes all expressions of interest, regardless of the means or manner in which the expression of interest is made, if the contractor considers expressions of interest made through the Internet or related electronic data technologies in the recruiting or selection processes for that particular position.