OPM Eases Hiring Rules for College Students in Government

2026-14751, First Responder Fair RETIRE Act

The First Responder Fair RETIRE Act helps federal first responders who get sick or hurt on the job keep their full retirement benefits like nothing changed. This means if they face a duty-related injury or illness, their retirement pay won’t drop. The new rules are open for public comments until September 21, 2026, and aim to make retirement fairer and simpler for these heroes.

2026-13445, Promoting Employee Accountability

The Office of Personnel Management and Merit Systems Protection Board want to make it easier for agencies to hold employees accountable for poor work or bad behavior. They’re proposing clearer rules for performance-based actions and better training for supervisors. This affects federal employees and agencies, with comments open until August 3, 2026, and aims to save time and improve fairness without extra costs.

2026-13154, Suitability and Fitness

Starting July 30, 2026, the government is updating how it checks if people are fit and suitable for federal jobs. These changes affect current employees and job applicants by making background checks faster, fairer, and tougher on serious misconduct. The goal is to keep the federal workforce honest, efficient, and consistent with merit-based hiring rules.

2026-12976, Uniform Allowances

Starting July 13, 2026, federal employees who get uniform allowances will see the maximum yearly amount jump to $1,500. This change makes sure the allowance keeps up with costs and clears up some confusing details. No one objected to this update, so it’s all set to roll out smoothly and help employees cover their uniform expenses better.

2026-11140, Federal Independent Dispute Resolution Operations

Starting soon, health plans and insurers must share clearer info when they pay or deny surprise medical bills. They’ll use special codes to explain these decisions, especially when dealing with folks they don’t have contracts with. This helps patients and providers understand bills better and speeds up fixing disputes, with no extra costs for most people.

2026-07245, Uniform Allowances

The Office of Personnel Management is boosting the yearly uniform allowance from $800 to $1,500 for federal employees who need uniforms. This change starts July 13, 2026, and helps agencies better manage uniform programs while clarifying what counts as a uniform versus protective gear. If no big complaints come in by May 14, 2026, the new rules will roll out smoothly, putting more money and clearer rules in employees’ pockets.

Previous: 2026-03185, Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Vessels Using Pot Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Starting February 17, 2026, fishing boats using pot gear can catch Pacific cod again in the Central Gulf of Alaska to make sure they don’t miss out on their fishing quota. This temporary change stays until June 10, 2026, helping fishermen use their full share of the allowed catch. If you have thoughts, you can send comments by March 5, 2026.

Next: 2026-03246, Amendment of United States Area Navigation Routes Q-121 and Q-156

The FAA is renaming a waypoint on two U.S. air navigation routes from “SWTHN” to the easier-to-say “STORZ.” This change won’t affect flight paths or costs but will make communication clearer for pilots and controllers. The update takes effect on May 14, 2026, so everyone flying these routes should get ready for the new name!