OPM Expands Firing Grounds for Federal Workers, Orders Removals Within 5 Days
Updated
Updated · Federal News Network · Jun 29
OPM Expands Firing Grounds for Federal Workers, Orders Removals Within 5 Days
2 articles · Updated · Federal News Network · Jun 29
Summary
A final OPM rule due in the Federal Register on Tuesday lets agencies seek discipline or removal of current federal employees under “suitability and fitness” standards, with the rule taking effect in 30 days.
Agencies must now weigh added factors including timely tax filing, citizenship compliance, proper use of government resources and adherence to nondisclosure obligations, then send unsuitable-worker findings to OPM for a final decision.
OPM said the change closes an “irrational gap” between screening job applicants and policing current staff, and argued existing Chapter 75 removal procedures are too cumbersome to address misconduct efficiently.
If OPM upholds a suitability action, it can direct an agency to remove the employee within five workdays, extending a Trump-backed push since 2025 to make federal workers easier to fire.
Employment lawyers and advocacy groups say the rule threatens due-process protections and could chill whistleblowing, especially alongside a separate proposal for governmentwide nondisclosure agreements.
Will centralizing firing decisions at OPM streamline government or create a massive new bottleneck?
With new rules expediting federal firings, how can whistleblowers feel safe exposing misconduct?
As civil service protections are reshaped, what guards the impartiality of government expertise?
OPM’s 2026 Overhaul: 8,000 Federal Employees Made At-Will Amid Sweeping Firing and NDA Rules
Overview
In June 2026, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) introduced sweeping changes to federal employment rules, giving agencies much greater power to fire workers and streamline removal processes. These reforms address long-standing complaints that the previous system was slow and inconsistent, especially under Chapter 75 of Title 5, which limited OPM’s authority after hiring. Now, agencies can act more quickly against employees by documenting unacceptable performance or conduct. The new rules also reclassify some senior employees, making it easier to remove them if they are seen as obstructing lawful directives, marking a major shift in federal workforce management.