Personnel Management Office
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.
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 Parts 351, 430, and 537 [Docket ID: OPM-2025-0273] RIN 3206-AP06 ( printed page 41521) AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: 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. DATES: Effective date: August 6, 2026. Compliance date: Compliance with § 430.208(e)(1) and (2) is required beginning January 1, 2027. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noah Peters, Senior Advisor to the Director, 202-606-8046 or by email at performance-management@opm.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA) of 1978 established a new framework for merit-based personnel management in the Federal Government, including reforms to the performance appraisal system for Federal employees. When Congress debated and passed this legislation, a major concern was that the existing apprai…
Other Federal Register documents from the same docket.
Citation: 91 FR 41521
