Recruitment and Relocation Incentive Waivers

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 575 [Docket ID: OPM-2023-0027] RIN 3206-AO36 ( printed page 57867) AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: 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. DATES: This final rule is effective February 13, 2026. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene Holson by telephone at (202) 606-2858 or by email at paypolicy@opm.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Overview On November 15, 2023, OPM issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register at 88 FR 78243   [ 1 ] to expand the authority to approve waivers of the normal payment limitations on recruitment and relocation incentives. In addition, the rule proposed to give 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 would align the service requirements for recruitment …