# 2025-07469: New Rule Makes Federal Probation a Real Make-or-Break Period

2025-07469, Strengthening Probationary Periods in the Federal Service, is a Federal Register presidential document from Executive Office of the President published 2025-04-29, effective 2025-04-24 (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-07469
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-07469
- Title: Strengthening Probationary Periods in the Federal Service
- Type: Presidential Document
- Agencies: Executive Office of the President
- Citation: 90 FR 17729
- Published: 2025-04-29
- Effective: 2025-04-24
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-11-04

## In one line

New Rule Makes Federal Probation a Real Make-or-Break Period

## Summary

This new rule affects all new federal employees on probation or trial periods, making agencies actively decide if these workers should stay. Instead of automatic job security after probation, employees must be approved to continue, helping remove poor performers faster. These changes start soon and aim to save money by keeping the federal workforce strong and efficient.

## Effects PRIA read

- No Automatic Tenure After Probation: cost, high. If you are a new Federal employee on a probationary or trial period, your appointment will not automatically become final at the end of that period. Agencies must certify in writing within the 30 days prior to the end of your probation that keeping you employed advances the public interest; otherwi…
- Set Lengths for Probation and Trial Periods: cost, medium. The rule defines the length of probation and trial periods: competitive-service probation is the first year of service; excepted-service trial periods are the first year for preference eligibles and the first 2 years for other excepted-service employees. Promotions or transfers before completion re…
- New Review Meetings and Deadlines: cost, medium. Agencies must identify affected employees within 15 days of the order, designate evaluators, meet with each probationary or trial employee at least 60 days before the period ends, and make a final decision within 30 days after the end of the period. Before finalizing an appointment, the agency must…
- Rules for Crediting Prior Service and Absences: benefit, low. Prior Federal civilian service may count toward completing probation or a trial period if it is in the same agency, the same line of work, and there is at most a single break in service of 30 days or less. Nonpay absence while on the rolls counts up to 22 workdays; compensable injury or military du…
- Appeals Process Directed to OPM: mixed, medium. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may issue regulations prescribing when and how employees terminated during probation or trial periods may appeal. Except as otherwise required by law, those appeal procedures will be the sole and exclusive means to challenge such terminations.

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## Sources
- [2025-07469 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/29/2025-07469/strengthening-probationary-periods-in-the-federal-service)
- [2025-07469 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-04-29/pdf/2025-07469.pdf)

## Related
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- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-07469 (as of 2026-11-04).