What's Happening?
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has released new guidance for federal agencies regarding probationary employees, following President Trump's Executive Order 14284 signed on April 24, 2025. This order aims to strengthen probationary periods in the federal service by requiring agencies to affirmatively certify that an employee's continued employment benefits the federal service. The guidance includes detailed questions and answers, standardized templates, and emphasizes performance-based evaluations. Agencies are instructed to designate second-line supervisors, ideally politically appointed or at the Senior Executive Service level, to evaluate probationary employees. The guidance seeks to ensure only high-performing employees are retained, aligning with the administration's goal of a more accountable federal workforce.
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Why It's Important?
The new guidance is significant as it represents a shift towards more rigorous evaluation processes for federal employees during their probationary periods. This change aims to address concerns raised by the Government Accountability Office regarding the failure to screen out unsuitable employees. By implementing stricter evaluation criteria, the federal government seeks to optimize its workforce, ensuring that only those who demonstrate suitability and performance are retained. This could lead to a more efficient and effective federal service, impacting public policy and the overall functioning of government agencies.
What's Next?
Federal agencies will need to thoroughly review and implement the new guidance, which includes 18 pages of detailed instructions. The changes apply to current employees and extend to the excepted service, imposing mandatory trial periods and evaluation standards. Agencies must engage in the process to assess employees' fitness for federal employment before granting permanent status. The guidance also outlines appeals procedures for terminated probationary employees, with the Merit Systems Protection Board's jurisdiction removed for those hired after the Executive Order's date.
