# 2026-15586: Feds ditch hiring rules because lawyers said so

2026-15586, Removal of References to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures in Federal Personnel Regulations, is a Federal Register rule from Personnel Management Office published 2026-07-31, effective 2026-07-31; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-07).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15586
- As of: 2026-08-07
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-15586
- Title: Removal of References to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures in Federal Personnel Regulations
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Personnel Management Office
- Citation: 91 FR 48234
- Published: 2026-07-31
- Effective: 2026-07-31
- Comments close: 2026-09-29
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 3206-AP20
- Last updated: 2026-08-07

## In one line

Feds ditch hiring rules because lawyers said so

## Summary

Starting July 31, 2026, the Office of Personnel Management is removing all mentions of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures from federal hiring rules because a legal opinion said those guidelines aren’t allowed. This change affects federal agencies and how they handle hiring, but it won’t cost extra money. People can share their thoughts on this update until September 29, 2026.

## Abstract

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing an interim final rule with request for comments to remove references to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP) from Federal civil service regulations. These amendments conform OPM's regulations to the Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel's June 9, 2026, opinion finding the UGESP unlawful.

## Effects PRIA read

- OPM drops UGESP as a hiring rule: benefit, low. Starting July 31, 2026, the Office of Personnel Management removes references to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP) from federal hiring rules. Federal agencies will no longer be required by OPM regulations to apply UGESP's adverse-impact and validation-study framework a…
- Core job-analysis and nondiscrimination stay: benefit, low. OPM keeps job-analysis requirements, a rational relationship test, professional development standards, and nondiscrimination language in place. The rule does not change agency obligations under Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Genetic Information Nond…
- Agencies must update materials, minimal cost: cost, low. OPM expects agencies may need to review and update internal policy documents, delegated examining materials, category-rating procedures, or training materials to remove outdated references to UGESP. OPM states it does not expect this review to impose significant costs.

## Related documents

- [2026-19222](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19222): Employment in the Excepted Service, 2026-09-18
- [2026-18828](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18828): Shared Certificates and Pooled Hiring Actions, 2026-09-15
- [2026-18800](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18800): Reduction in Force; Correction, 2026-09-15
- [2026-16687](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16687): Differential Pay for Prescribed Wildland Fire Activities, 2026-08-14
- [2026-15650](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15650): Suitability Action Appeals, 2026-08-03
- [2026-15666](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15666): Reduction in Force Appeals, 2026-08-03

## Sources
- [2026-15586 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/31/2026-15586/removal-of-references-to-the-uniform-guidelines-on-employee-selection-procedures-in-federal)
- [2026-15586 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-31/pdf/2026-15586.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-15585, Requirements for Interference-Tolerant Radio Altimeter Systems](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15585)
- [Next: 2026-15588, Medicare Program; FY 2027 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15588)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15586 (as of 2026-08-07).