Personnel Management Office
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.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Office of Personnel Management 5 CFR Part 430 [Docket ID: OPM-2025-0006] RIN 3206-AO81 ( printed page 44291) AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: 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. DATES: Effective October 15, 2025. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noah Peters, Senior Advisor to the Director, 202-606-8046 or by email at SESpolicy@opm.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Senior Executive Service (SES), established by the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA) of 1978, was designed to form a corps of top-level Federal executives who provide leadership and continuity between political appointees and career civil servants. The SES operates under a unified personnel system with standardized executive qualifications and provides agencies flexibility in managing executive resources, all while preserving the public interest. In 2004, …
Citation: 90 FR 44291
