Retirement Surge Pushes OPM Retirement Backlog Over 54k in January
The OPM retirement backlog topped 54,000 in January, but digital processing is improving efficiency.
OPM
Stay updated with the latest OPM updates, including new OPM guidance, federal workforce policies, hiring and staffing rules, telework and workplace regulations, and major actions affecting federal employees and agencies. Get the latest news on OPM regulations, HR policy changes, pay and benefits guidance, retirement‑related updates, and government‑wide initiatives shaping federal workforce management. Find clear summaries and analysis to help federal employees, HR professionals, and agency leaders understand how OPM decisions impact the federal workplace.
Schedule F and Draining the Swamp: ~50,000 Federal Jobs May Lose Civil-Service Appeal Rights
OPM issued a final Schedule F rule, stripping civil-service appeals from ~50K federal employees to ease firing and reduce efforts to derail policy initiatives.
OPM Reinterprets Automatic Back Pay for Furloughed Federal Employees After a Government Shutdown
OPM updated its shutdown guidance, putting guaranteed back pay after a government shutdown in doubt for furloughed federal employees.
“Official Time” in Agencies: What Does It Cost, and Why Is It a Political Football?
Hundreds of millions fund government union activity, and politics underlies official time and its use. 2026 is no exception.
OPM Expands 2026 Special 3.8% Pay Raise to More Federal Law Enforcement Positions
More federal employees in law enforcement positions will be eligible to get a higher pay raise in 2026.
DC Area Offices Closed Again on Tuesday
The winter storm that swept across much of the country over the weekend has forced a second day of office closures.
Winter Storm Prompts DC Area Office Closures on Monday
A winter storm moving across the country has prompted office closures in the Washington, DC area on Monday.
Failure to Report SSA Benefits Leads to $40,749 Repayment for Federal Retiree
A FERS retiree approved for disability retirement owed $40,749 after delayed notice to OPM. See how her attempt to avoid repayment ended.
Can OPM Make Federal Service ‘Cool’ Again? Lessons from JFK for Today’s Workforce
President Kennedy made federal service aspirational in the 1960s. OPM Director Scott Kupor is trying to do the same today—modernizing government to attract the next generation.
OPM Retirement Backlog Surpasses 50,000 in December as Federal Workforce Shrinks
The OPM retirement backlog grew again in December, but the data show that the new digital system is improving processing times.
