OPM Launches New Federal Worker Mood Check Survey
Published Date: 9/17/2026
Notice
Summary
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is rolling out a new Annual Employee Survey to replace the old Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. This survey affects all federal employees and helps agencies understand workplace vibes better. They’re asking for public feedback by October 19, 2026, to make sure the survey is clear, useful, and easy to complete—no extra hassle or cost expected!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Survey Administration Shift to Agencies
OPM proposes it would no longer centrally administer the Annual Employee Survey; instead, each federal agency would administer the survey to its own employees. Agencies would still submit the prescribed-question data to OPM and OMB once per year to allow governmentwide comparison.
Agencies Must Get Own OMB Number For Added Questions
If an agency adds questions to OPM's common survey form, the agency would be responsible for collecting responses for those added items and must obtain its own OMB control number for that separate collection. Agencies would manage any extra collections beyond the OPM-prescribed core.
Core Survey Questions Reduced
OPM proposes to reduce the prescribed core annual employee survey questions from 16 to 10, keeping the most probative items. This change will shorten the official core questionnaire federal agencies must include for governmentwide comparison.
Estimated Respondent Time Burden
OPM estimates the Annual Employee Survey will involve 1,990 respondents, with an estimated time of 5 minutes per respondent, totaling 166 burden hours for the collection. Comments on the information collection are accepted until October 19, 2026.
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Key Dates
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