Management
After scrapping it in 2025, the Trump administration is reinstating awards program for senior executives
The Senior Executive Association praised the return of the presidential rank awards.
Pay & Benefits
OPM inspector general flags top management challenges for fiscal 2026
The latest report highlights staffing reductions, rising retirement claims and ongoing customer service and improper payment concerns.
Pay & Benefits
OPM finalizes 3.8% raise for federal law enforcement
The additional 2.8% pay increase set aside for law enforcement personnel takes the form of a special pay rate.
Tech
Trump’s cuts to the civil service undermine new tech internship push, good government group argues
The goal of the administration’s new internship program is to recruit 200 students for tech-focused internships.
Management
Controlling ratings inflation is a good idea...but a forced distribution isn’t
COMMENTARY | OPM's plan to corral inflated performance ratings should also be mindful not to undercut employee excellence with arbitrary limits on recognition.
Pay & Benefits
Trump finalizes 1% pay raise for most feds
The president also tasked OPM Director Scott Kupor with analyzing whether to provide federal law enforcement officers with a 3.8% pay increase, in line with what military service members are set to receive next month.
Exclusive
Management
Trump to limit top ratings for all feds and consolidate scoring in forthcoming rule
Though the forced distribution of performance ratings is “categorically prohibited” under current rules, federal agencies already appear to be adopting the system, before the proposal has even been announced.
Pay & Benefits
OPM finalizes rule simplifying recruitment and relocation incentive waivers
The final regulation allows the federal government’s HR agency to delegate its authority to offer recruitment and relocation incentive payments to other agencies.
Pay & Benefits
OPM’s retirement application pile remains large as the year draws to a close
New retirees awaiting full benefits may face holiday heartache as the backlog swelled to nearly 50,000 by the end of November.
Workforce
OPM says 92% of fed departures this year were voluntary. Those who left disagree
Staff only left "the most amazing job I could ever have" under significant pressure, former federal employees said.
Management
OMB, OPM pitch new governmentwide HR system
A joint memo from OMB Director Russ Vought and OPM Director Scott Kupor Wednesday laid out plans to encompass all federal HR management data into a single technology platform by fiscal 2028.
Management
OPM reassures managers of ‘extremely narrow’ liability in performance management actions
The federal government’s HR agency reminded federal supervisors that they can be partially reimbursed for insurance against lawsuits that may arise from taking adverse actions against subordinates.
Management
Agency layoff rules to get an overhaul under nearly finalized Trump administration proposal
OPM’s reduction in force revamp plan will put performance ratings over tenure and strip some employees of protections.
Workforce
A federal employee morale survey is worthwhile...but not this way
COMMENTARY | The future of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey may be in question, but while the Partnership for Public Service aims to preserve its own version of the employee poll, there may be another way to gauge the organizational climate of the federal government.
Workforce
Final Schedule F regulations to describe civil service protections as ‘unconstitutional overcorrections’
OPM officials told agency HR leaders Tuesday that President Trump has Article II constitutional authority to remove tens of thousands of career federal workers in jobs over potential “resistance to policy.”
Oversight
NTEU sues OPM for Schedule F records
The federal employee union said the government’s dedicated HR agency ignored an August Freedom of Information Act request pertaining to which positions agencies plan to convert to the controversial new job classification.
Pay & Benefits
Trump admin says feds should get at least most backpay by Nov. 19
GSA and OPM workers will be the first to see the first month’s work of pay—belayed by the 43-day government shutdown—with what the White House is calling a “super check” that should be delivered on Saturday.
Workforce
Nonprofit launches FEVS alternative after OPM’s cancellation of official survey
The Public Service Viewpoint Survey aims to at least partially fill the void left by the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which OPM cancelled this year despite a legal requirement that it be administered annually.
Pay & Benefits
OPM’s retirement backlog skyrockets as deferred resignees begin offboarding
The federal government’s dedicated HR agency is sitting on the most pending retirement applications since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pay & Benefits