How did the Pendleton Act reform the system of hiring and firing federal employees?

a. It required hiring and firing decisions to be based on partisan loyalty rather than merit.

b. It required hiring and firing decisions to be based on merit rather than partisan loyalty.

c. It continued to allow hiring on the basis of merit, but made firing federal employees easier.

d. It continued to allow hiring on the basis of partisan loyalty, but made firing federal employees more difficult.