The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has advised all federal agencies to consider the termination of their probationary employees. This recommendation comes after the OPM ceased accepting new offers for its "deferred resignation program" as of last night.
Despite OPM's advisory, the final authority on the removal of probationary employees rests with the individual federal agencies. A source familiar with OPM’s decision-making process informed Federal News Network that OPM has provided agencies with guidance to lay off probationary employees, albeit with potential “case by case exceptions.”
The communication from OPM to the agencies has been described as “soft guidance,” allowing agencies to independently determine their course of action. An OPM spokesperson highlighted that the probationary period is an extension of the job application process and not a guarantee of permanent employment.
Agencies are taking independent actions in response to the recent hiring freeze and in support of broader efforts to restructure and streamline the federal government. These efforts aim to enhance the government’s service to the American public, maintaining the highest possible standards.
Federal employees typically undergo a probationary period of one year. However, certain positions, particularly within law enforcement and the Defense Department, may require probationary periods of two or even three years.
As of March 2024, the latest data shows that there are 216,079 federal employees with one year of service or less. Historically, there are about 200,000 government employees in similar positions at any given time, with a five-year average of 192,774 employees having a year of service or less.
Earlier this month, OPM requested that agencies provide a list of probationary employees, along with a brief explanation (limited to 200 characters) of their decision to retain them. Additionally, OPM conducted its own meeting to terminate probationary employees on Thursday afternoon.
An OPM employee reported that approximately 70 employees were involved in the meeting, which was conducted via videoconference. Employees with less than a year of service were informed of their termination, effective at 3 p.m. the same day, following a brief notification period.
During the meeting, which was addressed by acting OPM Director Chuck Ezell, a union representative was notably absent. Furthermore, microphone and camera access for employees on the call was disabled after a question regarding union representation was raised.
OPM informed federal employees via email on Wednesday evening that its deferred resignation program has officially closed, and any resignations submitted after 7:20 p.m. Eastern on February 12 will not be processed.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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