Which type of appointment allows a person formerly employed in the competitive service to return as a career or career-conditional employee?

The correct answer is reinstatement, as it specifically refers to the process that allows a former employee of the competitive service to return to a position as a career or career-conditional employee. This mechanism is designed to facilitate the return of qualified individuals who had a break from federal employment but wish to resume their career in the competitive service.

Reinstatement recognizes the experience and skills that the individual has already acquired during their prior federal employment, thereby enabling a smoother transition back into the workforce.

The other choices do not adequately reflect this specific process. Non-competitive status typically pertains to other hiring authorities that do not involve competition, while career status is a general term that refers to the job category but does not indicate a return process. Competitive service describes the overall class of jobs that require competitive examination, without targeting a specific reinstatement process. Thus, reinstatement stands out as the correct mechanism for returning to career or career-conditional status in these scenarios.