(a) Duty.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall take action with respect to matters involving personnel administration as necessary to ensure the continued eligibility of the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions for Federal grants-in-aid.
(b) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, a State program which is required to have the State program's positions under a merit system because of the receipt of Federal grants-in-aid may not have more positions in the unclassified service than are allowed by Federal merit system standards.