Rules and proposed rules

FLSA Claims and Compliance

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing this direct final rule to update the provisions concerning Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) claims submissions to OPM.

Comments close Aug 31, 2026

Procedures for Settling Claims

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing this direct final rule to update the provisions concerning administrative claims submissions to OPM.

Comments close Aug 31, 2026

First Responder Fair RETIRE Act

The Office of Personnel Management proposes regulations to carry out provisions of the First Responder Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned Act. The Act allows covered Federal first responders who experience a qualifying duty-related illness or injury to continue receiving Federal retirement benefits in the same manner as though they had not experienced the disability. The proposed regulations would carry out the amendments the Act made to statutory provisions relating to the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees' Retirement System.

Comments close Sep 21, 2026

Promoting Employee Accountability

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB or Board) are issuing proposed regulations governing performance-based reduction in grade and removal actions, non-disciplinary separations, and adverse actions, along with the MSPB's review of those actions, and proposing improved and additional training to supervisors. With this rule, OPM seeks to improve the accountability of employees for poor performance and misconduct by streamlining the administrative procedures used by agencies to take performance-based and adverse actions; and MSPB seeks to refocus its penalty review on a totality of the circumstances test rather than a rigid application of prescribed factors. The proposed rule also promotes transparency regarding employee poor performance and misconduct by restricting agencies' ability to engage in settlement agreements that remove official documentation of performance or conduct detrimental to the efficiency of the service.

Comments close Aug 3, 2026

Personnel Management in Agencies: Strategic Human Capital Management

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes amending 5 CFR part 250 by replacing Human Capital Operating Plans (HCOPs) with Annual Staffing Plans (ASPs), Human Capital Reviews (HCRs) with Annual Staffing Reviews (ASRs), and the HRStat quarterly review process with Quarterly Staffing Plan Performance Reviews. The proposed changes also strengthen the role of the agency Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO) by requiring the CHCO to have appropriate visibility, control and oversight of human capital functions within the agency. The proposed rule would modify, and reduce in number, the required survey questions for annual employee surveys.

Comments close Aug 3, 2026

Administrative Leave for Workforce Realignment and Other Purposes

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to amend its regulations to more fully address the appropriate uses of administrative leave, including use in connection with deferred resignation programs and other workforce realignment initiatives, and for other purposes. OPM is also proposing to amend its regulation on resignations to clarify when an agency may accept or deny an employee's request to withdraw a resignation in the context of a deferred resignation program.

Comments close Jul 29, 2026

Federal Employees' Retirement System; Present Value Conversion Factors for Spouses of Deceased Separated Employees

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is revising the table of reduction factors for early commencing dates of survivor annuities for spouses of separated employees who die before the date on which they would be eligible for unreduced deferred annuities. The annuity factor for spouses of deceased employees who die in service when those spouses elect to receive the basic employee death benefit in 36 installments under the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) Act of 1986 remains unchanged.

Comments close Jul 23, 2026

Elimination of Time-in-Grade

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes eliminating the Time-in-Grade (TIG) restriction on advancement to competitive service positions in the General Schedule. Currently, employees in competitive service General Schedule positions in grades 5 and above must serve 52 weeks in grade before becoming eligible for promotion to the next grade level. Abolishing the restriction would eliminate the 52-week service requirement. If the requirement is eliminated, an employee must continue to meet occupational qualification standard requirements, and any additional job-related qualification requirements.

Comments close Jul 27, 2026

Critical Position Pay Authority

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to amend its regulations governing the critical position pay authority to establish level I of the Executive Schedule as the default maximum critical pay rate, with higher rates subject to written approval by the Director of OPM; eliminate non-statutory caps and approval criteria; address the use of service agreements; clarify reductions or terminations of critical position pay are not adverse actions or subject to grievance or appeal rights; and clarify the treatment of critical pay rates as basic pay. This proposed rule simplifies and better aligns OPM's regulations with governing law and delegated authority.

Comments close May 26, 2026

Uniform Allowances

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a direct final rule to raise the maximum annual uniform allowance and the maximum allowable cost payable by the agency for furnishing uniforms from $800 to $1,500, amend the purpose of the subpart and the definition of "uniform," and ensure agencies maintain policies for administering uniform allowance programs. This document also provides guidance on appropriate and inappropriate uses of the allowance, distinguishes uniforms from personal protective equipment, and makes technical edits to improve transparency, accountability, and usability.

Comments close May 14, 2026

Differential Pay for Prescribed Wildland Fire Activities

The Office of Personnel Management is proposing to add prescribed (planned) wildland fire duties as covered activities triggering payment of Hazardous Duty Pay for General Schedule (GS) employees and Environmental Differential Pay for Federal Wage System (FWS) employees. The proposed new differentials would apply to GS and FWS employees participating as a member of a firefighting crew engaged in activities on the fireline directly involving the implementation and control of prescribed wildland fires. This rulemaking would authorize a 25 percent differential.

Comments close Jun 15, 2026

Reduction in Force

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a proposed rule to revise its reduction-in-force (RIF) regulations. The proposed rule would make the RIF regulations more streamlined, efficient, and merit-based by prioritizing performance over tenure and length of service when determining which employees will be retained in a RIF and modifying the types of employees who are excluded from RIF competition. OPM also proposes to revise its regulations regarding the reemployment priority list (RPL), career transition assistance program (CTAP), the interagency career transition assistance program (ICTAP), transfers of function, and furloughs.

Comments close May 4, 2026

Prevailing Rate Systems; Redefinition of the Raven Rock Mountain Complex to the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington Federal Wage System Wage Area

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to redefine the Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area coverage of the Raven Rock Mountain Complex (RRMC), which spans small portions of Washington County, Maryland, which is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington wage area, and Adams County, Pennsylvania, which is in the Harrisburg-York- Lebanon, PA wage area. OPM proposes to redefine the RRMC portion of Adams County from the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA wage area to the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington wage area so that all of the RRMC is in the same wage area. Portions of Adams County outside of RRMC would continue to be defined to the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA, wage area. This change would align wage area coverage for installations within the Pentagon Reservation and prevent pay disparities among FWS employees working at the RRMC.

Comments close Apr 27, 2026

Performance Appraisal for General Schedule, Prevailing Rate, and Certain Other Employees

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a proposed rule to increase the efficiency of performance management for non- Senior Executive Service (SES) employees, including General Schedule (GS) and prevailing rate employees. The proposed rule amends the approved patterns of summary levels by removing a "Level 2"; requires agencies to undergo biennial appraisal system certifications with OPM; requires a supervisory critical element for all supervisors covered under this subpart; removes the prohibition of a forced, or standardized, distribution of performance-rating levels; removes the option to grieve a performance rating; and removes the mandatory review of level 1 ratings.

Comments close Mar 26, 2026

Managing Senior Professional Performance

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) are proposing to revise the rules governing the performance appraisal of senior-level (SL) and scientific or professional (ST) employees, collectively referred to as "senior professionals." This rulemaking would establish a new subpart specifically dedicated to senior professional performance appraisal. The new subpart would align more closely with the SES performance appraisal regulations, eliminate senior professional appraisal programs, remove the prohibition of a forced distribution of performance rating levels, and enhance oversight.

Comments close Mar 26, 2026

Reduction in Force Appeals

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a proposed rule to revise its regulations governing appeals of reduction-in-force (RIF) actions. OPM proposes to transfer appeal rights for employees who have been furloughed more than 30 days, separated, or demoted by a RIF action from the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to OPM. OPM expects this change will promote greater efficiency and reduce costs to agencies in effectuating RIF actions, which may be necessary in a variety of circumstances, such as to eliminate duplicative or unnecessary functions or align agency workforces with new technology, changing mission needs, or budgetary constraints.

Comments close Mar 12, 2026

Suitability Action Appeals

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing amendments to the review process for suitability actions. The purpose of the proposed rule is to streamline suitability action appeals procedures, thereby improving the efficiency, rigor and timeliness by which OPM and agencies resolve challenges to suitability actions and ensure the integrity and efficiency of the service.

Comments close Mar 9, 2026

Civil Service Retirement System and Federal Employees' Retirement System: Secondary Position Definitions

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to amend its retirement regulations to revise the definition of secondary position for law enforcement officers, firefighters, nuclear materials couriers, and customs and border protection officers. The changes remove the requirement that experience in a primary position is a mandatory prerequisite for an executive level position. This change will provide agencies with greater flexibility when recruiting for executive positions. Agencies retain the discretion to require experience in a primary position as a mandatory prerequisite to their secondary positions.

Comments close Mar 6, 2026

Streamlining Probationary and Trial Period Appeals

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing a rule to change the circumstances and procedures for adjudicating appeals from employees covered by these provisions and terminated during their probationary or trial periods and supervisors and managers who fail to complete their probationary periods. This change follows the President's rescinding of the regulations at subpart H of part 315 of this chapter as directed by Executive Order 14284. As proposed, employees would file appeals limited to: discrimination based on partisan political reasons or marital status; and failure to follow procedures for terminations based upon pre-appointment reasons. OPM would replace the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) as the adjudicative agency for all appeals. Employees who wish to pursue claims of discrimination under statutes administered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) would not be allowed to raise these claims with OPM.

Comments close Jan 29, 2026

Ensuring Consistent and Rigorous Standards for Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Programs

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to revise its Senior Executive Service (SES) Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) regulations to implement certain SES training and development requirements. The SES represents the Federal Government's leadership, composed of executive positions above the GS-15 level. SESCDPs serve as a crucial succession management tool for Federal agencies, designed to identify and prepare high-potential employees for future roles within the SES. These programs aim to cultivate leaders equipped with a government-wide perspective and the competencies necessary to tackle complex challenges.

Comments close Feb 17, 2026

Suitability and Fitness

On June 3, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published in the Federal Register proposal to amend the Federal Government personnel vetting adjudicative processes for determining suitability and taking suitability actions. The proposed rule invited the public to submit written comments beginning on the proposed rule publication date and ending on Thursday, July 3, 2025. In response to requests for an extension of the comment period, OPM is extending the comment period to Friday, July 18, 2025.

Comments close Jul 18, 2025

Suitability and Fitness

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing amendments to the Federal Government personnel vetting adjudicative processes for determining suitability and taking suitability actions. The purpose of the proposed rule is to improve the efficiency, rigor and timeliness by which OPM and agencies vet individuals for risk to the integrity and efficiency of the service, and to make clear that individuals who engage in serious misconduct while employed in Federal service are subject to the same suitability procedures and actions as applicants for employment.

Comments close Jul 3, 2025

Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Hennepin, Minnesota, as a Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Area

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing a rule to abolish the Hennepin, Minnesota, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and define most of its counties to the nearest NAF FWS wage areas. Those counties without NAF FWS employment would no longer be defined to a NAF wage area. These changes are necessary because NAF FWS employment in the survey area has been declining, and the local activities no longer have the capability to conduct local wage surveys.

Comments close Jul 2, 2025

Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service

On April 23, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking to increase career employee accountability. The proposed rule invited the public to submit written comments beginning on the proposed rule publication date and ending on May 23, 2025. In response to requests for an extension of the comment period, OPM is extending the comment period to June 7, 2025.

Comments close Jun 7, 2025

Assuring Responsive and Accountable Federal Executive Management

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to remove the prohibition of a forced distribution of performance rating levels within the Senior Executive Service (SES) as well as eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language within SES performance management regulations. Currently, agencies are prohibited from establishing quotas or limits on the number or proportion of the various rating levels assigned, meaning that each senior executive potentially can receive any rating based on their performance, irrespective of how other senior executives perform within the agency. However, governmentwide SES ratings data have consistently shown that virtually all SES receive the highest rating levels (i.e., levels 4 and 5) despite documented reports of SES failings. Removing the prohibition on forced distribution would allow agencies to establish and enforce limits on the highest SES rating levels, thereby increasing rigor in the SES appraisal process and leading to a more normalized distribution of SES ratings across the Federal Government.

Comments close Jun 2, 2025

Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing a rule to increase career employee accountability. Agency supervisors report great difficulty removing employees for poor performance or misconduct. The proposed rule lets policy-influencing positions be moved into Schedule Policy/Career. These positions will remain career jobs filled on a nonpartisan basis. Yet they will be at-will positions excepted from adverse action procedures or appeals. This will allow agencies to quickly remove employees from critical positions who engage in misconduct, perform poorly, or undermine the democratic process by intentionally subverting Presidential directives.

Comments close May 23, 2025

Removal of References to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures in Federal Personnel Regulations

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing an interim final rule with request for comments to remove references to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP) from Federal civil service regulations. These amendments conform OPM's regulations to the Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel's June 9, 2026, opinion finding the UGESP unlawful.

Updates to Agents Designated To Accept Legal Process

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for the rules for processing garnishment orders for child support and/or alimony and the rules for processing commercial garnishment orders. This rule updates the address for the Interior Business Center, which serves as the agent for service of process for many agencies. The rule also adds an agent for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to the list of agents designated to accept legal process.

Performance Appraisal for General Schedule, Prevailing Rate, and Certain Other Employees

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of performance management for non-Senior Executive Service (SES) employees, including General Schedule (GS) and prevailing rate employees. This final rule eliminates unnecessary summary level patterns; removes the prohibition of a forced, or standardized, distribution of performance rating levels; eliminates mandatory review of Level 1 ratings; removes the option to grieve a rating of record; requires a supervisory critical element for all supervisors covered under this subpart; and requires OPM to conduct biennial certifications of agency appraisal systems.

Suitability and Fitness

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is amending the Federal Government personnel vetting adjudicative processes for determining suitability and taking suitability actions. The final rule will improve the efficiency, rigor, and timeliness by which OPM and agencies vet individuals for risk to the integrity and efficiency of the service and make clear that individuals who engage in serious misconduct while employed in Federal service are subject to the same suitability procedures and actions as applicants for employment. It also ensures that suitability determinations and actions are applied consistently with Merit System Principles.

Uniform Allowances

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is confirming the effective date of its direct final rule amending 5 CFR part 591, subpart A, to increase the governmentwide maximum annual uniform allowance rate to $1,500 and make related technical and clarifying changes. OPM received no significant adverse comments during the comment period and therefore confirms the rule will become effective as scheduled.

Ensuring Consistent and Rigorous Standards for the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Programs

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to amend its Senior Executive Service (SES) Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) regulations to implement certain SES training and development requirements. The SES represents the Federal Government's leadership, composed of executive positions above the GS-15 level. SESCDPs serve as a crucial succession management tool for Federal agencies, designed to identify and prepare high-potential employees for future roles within the SES. These programs aim to cultivate leaders equipped with a governmentwide perspective and the competencies necessary to tackle complex challenges.

Prevailing Rate Systems; Redefinition of the Raven Rock Mountain Complex to the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington Federal Wage System Wage Area

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to redefine the Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area coverage of the Raven Rock Mountain Complex (RRMC), which spans small portions of Washington County, Maryland, which is in the Washington-Baltimore- Arlington wage area, and Adams County, Pennsylvania, which is in the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA wage area. OPM will redefine the RRMC portion of Adams County from the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA wage area to the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington wage area so that all of the RRMC is in the same wage area. Portions of Adams County outside of RRMC will continue to be defined to the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA, wage area. This change will align wage area coverage for installations within the Pentagon Reservation and prevent pay disparities among FWS employees working at the RRMC.

Federal Independent Dispute Resolution Operations

This document sets forth these final rules related to certain provisions of the No Surprises Act regarding the Federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) process, which was established as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA). These rules finalize new requirements relating to the disclosure of information that group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage must include along with the initial payment or notice of denial of payment for certain items and services subject to the surprise billing protections in the No Surprises Act. These final rules also require plans and issuers to communicate information by using claim adjustment reason codes (CARCs) and remittance advice remark codes (RARCs), as specified in guidance, when providing any paper or electronic remittance advice (ERA) to an entity that does not have a contractual relationship with the plan or issuer. This document also finalizes amendments to certain requirements related to the open negotiation period preceding the Federal IDR process, the initiation of the Federal IDR process, the Federal IDR dispute eligibility review process, and the payment and collection of administrative fees and certified IDR entity fees. This document also finalizes the definition of bundled payment arrangements, amends requirements related to batched items and services and amends the rules for extensions of timeframes due to extenuating circumstances. Additionally, this document finalizes provisions that require plans and issuers to register in the Federal IDR portal. In accordance with Federal law, a summary of these rules may be found at https://www.regulations.gov/.

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Verification Requirements for Family Member Coverage

The FEHB Protection Act of 2025 (FPA) requires OPM to issue regulations and implement a process to verify: The veracity of any qualifying life event (QLE) through which a health benefits plan enrollee seeks to add a member of family to their enrollment and that when an enrollee adds a family member to the health benefits plan, including during any open season, the individual is a qualified member of family. This final rule also clarifies responsibilities for initial family member eligibility determinations for the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program.

Administrative Law Judges; Withdrawal

The Office of Personnel Management is clarifying its withdrawal of a proposed rule published on September 21, 2020. The notice of proposed rulemaking, among other things, proposed revising OPM's regulations governing the appointment and employment of administrative law judges (ALJs). OPM is withdrawing the proposed rule.

Performance Appraisal for General Schedule, Prevailing Rate, and Certain Other Employees; Correction

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is correcting a proposed rule that published in the February 24, 2026, issue of the Federal Register. The proposed rule contained missing FR citation information, and this corrects that error.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Regulations

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) withdraws a proposed rule to amend its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations published on July 24, 2008. Due to the time that has elapsed, OPM is withdrawing the proposal. OPM will propose amendments to its FOIA regulations in future rulemaking.

Hiring Authority for College Graduates

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to amend its career and career-conditional employment regulations. The revision is necessary to implement the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. This statute requires OPM to issue regulations establishing a hiring authority for college graduates into positions at specified grades in the competitive service. The intended effect of the authority is to provide additional flexibility in hiring eligible and qualified individuals.

Hiring Authority for Post-Secondary Students

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to amend its career and career-conditional employment regulations. The revision is necessary to implement section 1108 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, which requires OPM to issue regulations implementing hiring authorities that allow agencies to hire certain post-secondary students into positions at specified grades in the competitive service. The intended effect of the authority is to provide additional flexibility in hiring eligible and qualified individuals.

Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a rule to increase career employee accountability. Agency supervisors report great difficulty removing employees for poor performance or misconduct. The final rule authorizes agencies to move policy-influencing positions into Schedule Policy/Career. These positions will remain career jobs filled on a nonpartisan basis. Yet they will be at-will positions excepted from adverse action procedures or appeals. This will allow agencies to quickly remove employees from critical positions who engage in misconduct, perform poorly, or obstruct the democratic process by intentionally subverting Presidential directives. The rule requires agencies to establish internal policies protecting employees from prohibited personnel practices.

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Modification of Effective Date of Coverage for Employees With an Initial Opportunity To Enroll

The Office of Personnel Management withdraws a proposed rule published on February 1, 2024. The notice of proposed rulemaking proposed to modify the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) regulations and would have also applied to the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program, to allow for coverage to take effect as soon as an employee becomes eligible for coverage under the FEHB Program.

Recruitment and Relocation Incentive Waivers

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to expand the authority to approve waivers of the normal payment limitations on recruitment and relocation incentives. An expansion of the waiver approval authority provides agencies with access to higher payment limitations for these flexibilities without requesting approval from OPM. In addition, this final rule gives agencies flexibility to set the length of the required service period for recruitment incentives to a period less than 6 months but not more than 4 years, which aligns the service requirements for recruitment incentives with those for relocation incentives.

Sunset of the Pathways Presidential Management Fellows Program; Correction

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is correcting a final rule that published in the Federal Register and was effective on August 11, 2025. The document rescinded the regulations on the Pathways Presidential Management Fellows Program and made other conforming amendments. The August 11 final rule resulted in an error in the regulatory text, and this final rule corrects that error.

Assuring Responsive and Accountable Federal Executive Management

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing this final rule to remove the prohibition of a forced distribution of performance rating levels within the Senior Executive Service (SES) as well as eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language within SES performance management regulations. Governmentwide SES ratings data have consistently shown that most SES receive the highest rating levels (i.e., Levels 4 and 5) despite documented reports of SES failings. Allowing agencies to limit the highest SES rating levels will increase rigor in SES appraisal and lead to a more normalized distribution of SES ratings across the Federal Government.

Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Hennepin, Minnesota, as a Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Area

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to abolish the Hennepin, Minnesota, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and define most of its counties to the nearest NAF FWS wage areas. Those counties without NAF FWS employment would no longer be defined to a NAF wage area. These changes are necessary because NAF FWS employment in the survey area has been declining, and the local activities no longer have the capability to conduct local wage surveys. This rule also makes correcting amendments related to four prior final rules revising other NAF FWS wage areas.

Reinvigorating Merit-Based Hiring Through Candidate Ranking in the Competitive and Excepted Service (Rule of Many)

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing this final rule to implement changes authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019 governing the selection of candidates from competitive lists of eligibles. These changes are meant to encourage the use of rigorous, merit-based candidate rankings when hiring in the competitive and excepted service. They also provide expanded flexibility to agencies in the selection of candidates under delegated examining procedures. These changes also affect how agencies select candidates for excepted service appointments.

Sunset of the Pathways Presidential Management Fellows Program

As directed by the Executive Order "Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy" issued February 19, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is rescinding the regulations on the Pathways Presidential Management Fellows Program and making conforming amendments.

Pathways Presidential Management Fellows Program: Variation

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is providing notice that the Director is authorizing a variation from the Pathways Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program regulations under which current Fellows remain employed. The Director has found that such variation is necessary and will further the objectives set forth by the President in Executive Order (E.O.) 14217.

Appeal Procedures for Recoupment of Awards, Bonuses, or Relocation Expenses Awarded or Approved for All Employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to implement provisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 that permit current and former employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to appeal the recoupment of awards, bonuses, or relocation expenses awarded or approved for these individuals. This regulation prescribes general procedures applicable to appeals to the Director of OPM regarding an order by the Secretary of the VA, or designee, directing the employee or former employee to repay the amount, or a portion of the amount, of any award, bonus, or relocation expenses paid to the employee.

Attorney Fees and Personnel Action Coverage Under the Back Pay Act

The Office of Personnel Management is withdrawing a proposed rule published on October 7, 2020. The notice of proposed rulemaking, inter alia, proposed revising OPM's regulations governing the coverage of, and attorney fee awards under, the Back Pay Act. OPM withdrew the proposed rule on March 12, 2021, but issues this clarification reiterating that the proposed rule is withdrawn.

Bar to Appointment of Persons Who Fail To Register Under Selective Service Law

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) withdraws a proposed rule published on February 7, 2024. The notice of proposed rulemaking proposed to revise the procedures for determining whether an individual's failure to register with the Selective Service System (SSS) was knowing and willful.

Strengthening Probationary Periods in the Federal Service

As directed by Executive Order 14284, "Strengthening Probationary Periods in the Federal Service," issued on April 24, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is rescinding the regulations on probationary periods for initial appointments in the competitive service and making conforming amendments.

Program Fraud Civil Remedies: Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment

This rule adjusts the level of civil monetary penalties contained in U.S. Office of Personnel Management regulations implementing the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986, in accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and Office of Management and Budget guidance.

Elimination of Federal Executive Boards

As directed by the Executive Order "Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy" issued on February 19, 2025, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) removes the implementing regulations for the Federal Executive Boards.

Certifying the Use of a Merit Personnel System as Required by the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is revising guidance issued on June 10, 2024, regarding the available range of staffing options for federally funded and state-administered low-income programs that are required to comply with the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (IPA) and its implementing regulations.

Prevailing Rate Systems; Change in Criteria for Defining Appropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Areas

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to change the regulatory criteria used to define Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area boundaries and make changes in certain wage areas. The purpose of this change, which will affect around ten percent of the FWS workforce, is to make the FWS wage area criteria more similar to the General Schedule (GS) locality pay area criteria. This change is based on a December 2023 majority recommendation of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC), the statutory national-level labor-management committee that advises OPM on the administration of the FWS.

Appeal Procedures for Recoupment of Awards, Bonuses, or Relocation Expenses Awarded or Approved for All Employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing an interim final rule to implement provisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 that permit current and former employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to appeal the recoupment of awards, bonuses, or relocation expenses awarded or approved for these individuals. This regulation prescribes general procedures applicable to appeals to the Director of OPM regarding an order by the Secretary of the VA, or designee, directing the employee or former employee to repay the amount, or a portion of the amount, of any award or bonus paid to the employee. This regulation also prescribes general procedures applicable to appeals regarding an order by the Secretary of the VA, or designee, directing the employee or former employee to repay the amount, or a portion of the amount, paid to or on behalf of an employee for relocation expenses.