Performance Appraisal for General Schedule, Prevailing Rate, and Certain Other Employees
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of performance management for non-Senior Executive Service (SES) employees, including General Schedule (GS) and prevailing rate employees. This final rule eliminates unnecessary summary level patterns; removes the prohibition of a forced, or standardized, distribution of performance rating levels; eliminates mandatory review of Level 1 ratings; removes the option to grieve a rating of record; requires a supervisory critical element for all supervisors covered under this subpart; and requires OPM to conduct biennial certifications of agency appraisal systems.
What this item does
The short version, using the agency's own summary text.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of performance management for non-Senior Executive Service (SES) employees, including General Schedule (GS) and prevailing rate employees. This final rule eliminates unnecessary summary level patterns; removes the prohibition of a forced, or standardized, distribution of performance rating levels; eliminates mandatory review of Level 1 ratings; removes the option to grieve a rating of record; requires a supervisory critical element for all supervisors covered under this subpart; and requires OPM to conduct biennial certifications of agency appraisal systems.
Final rule.
Important dates
The dates that matter most for this item.
Published
July 7, 2026
Starts
August 6, 2026
Who published it
The agencies listed in the official filing.
Federal rulebook sections mentioned
These are the parts of the Code of Federal Regulations cited in the filing.