OPM and MSPB just proposed a sweeping overhaul of how the federal government disciplines and addresses poor performance in its workforce — and it touches almost everything.  Shortened reply periods.  The end of the Douglas factors.  No more tables of penalties.  No way to negotiate a clean record.  If you are a federal employee, these changes could reshape how fast you need to act, how much guidance your supervisor has, and how permanent a bad day at work can become.  This post covers what is actually in the proposal — and what it means for you.

OPM's April 2026 guidance eliminates performance appraisal requirements for Schedule C and Schedule G political appointees — and it may signal bigger changes ahead which could impact the future of performance management for all federal employees.

All government employees have a love/hate relationship with human resources – from the paperwork and 45-step processes to the dreaded “well, it depends” answer to anything you ask.  This post will correct four myths about federal human resources, including misconceptions about the role of human resources staff.