OPM Fine-Tunes Fair Hiring Rules for Aid Programs
Published Date: 3/11/2025
Rule
Summary
The Office of Personnel Management just updated the rules for hiring staff in low-income programs funded by the government. If your program follows the Intergovernmental Personnel Act, you’ll need to certify that you use a fair and merit-based hiring system. These changes help keep hiring clear and fair, with new deadlines to meet and no extra costs expected.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Certification Required for IPA Programs
If your program runs a federally funded, state-administered low-income program that must follow the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970, you must certify that you use a fair, merit-based hiring system. The Office of Personnel Management revised guidance (originally issued June 10, 2024) adds new deadlines to meet, and OPM says no extra costs are expected.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16687, Differential Pay for Prescribed Wildland Fire Activities
Starting September 14, 2026, federal employees who work on planned wildland fires will get a 25% pay boost for their risky fireline duties. This new rule affects General Schedule and Federal Wage System workers who help control these fires, making their tough jobs a bit more rewarding. It’s a win for firefighters who keep our forests safe with planned burns!
2026-15654, Streamlining Probationary and Trial Period Appeals
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to change the circumstances and procedures for adjudicating appeals from employees terminated during their probationary and trial periods and supervisors and managers who fail to complete their probationary periods. Executive order, "Strengthening Probationary Periods in the Federal Service," rendered the prior procedures for appealing such actions to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) inoperative. This final rule establishes a new, limited appeals process adjudicated by OPM. The final rule also makes conforming amendments.
2026-15666, Reduction in Force Appeals
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations to revise how an employee may appeal a furlough of more than 30 days, separation, or demotion by a reduction-in-force (RIF) action. OPM will replace the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) as the adjudicative agency for such appeals. The rule establishes a uniform, record-based OPM appeal process; clarifies the appellant's burden; requires production of the complete agency record; preserves collateral statutory remedies; and applies prospectively to improve timeliness, consistency, and cost-effectiveness while maintaining administrative review.
2026-15665, Reduction in Force
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is revising its reduction in force (RIF) regulations to make the RIF regulations more streamlined, efficient, and merit-based by prioritizing performance over tenure and length of service when determining which employees will be retained in a RIF and by modifying the types of employees who are excluded from RIF competition. OPM is also revising its regulations regarding the reemployment priority list (RPL), career transition assistance program (CTAP), the interagency career transition assistance program (ICTAP), and transfers of function.
2026-15650, Suitability Action Appeals
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations to revise how an applicant, appointee, or employee may appeal a suitability action taken under 5 CFR part 731. OPM will replace the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) as the adjudicative agency for such appeals. The change will streamline suitability action appeals procedures, thereby improving the efficiency, rigor, and timeliness by which OPM and agencies resolve challenges to suitability actions and ensure the integrity and efficiency of the service.
2026-15597, FLSA Claims and Compliance
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing this direct final rule to update the provisions concerning Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) claims submissions to OPM.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-03790, FDIC Official Signs and Advertising Requirements, False Advertising, Misrepresentation of Insured Status, and Misuse of the FDIC's Name or Logo
The FDIC updated rules about how banks show their FDIC insurance status on signs and ads. Banks must follow these new rules, but deadlines to fully comply have been pushed back to May 1, 2025, and for digital signs on ATMs and websites, to March 1, 2026. These changes help keep customers clear about which banks are insured and protect the FDIC’s name and logo from misuse.
Next: 2025-03818, Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Similarity of Appearance Explanation for the Northern Distinct Population Segment of the Southern Subspecies of Scarlet Macaw
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking the public to share their thoughts on why they didn’t do a special analysis for the northern group of the southern scarlet macaw under the Endangered Species Act. This is happening because a court asked them to explain their decision. If you care about these colorful birds, now’s your chance to speak up before the deadline!