Yellow Jacket InitiativeThe federal workforce
OPM rules and memos on ratings, hiring, leave and protections. Every piece we have published on it, oldest first, so you can see what changed and when. The newest is at the bottom.
- July 28, 2026
Piece 1The Default Is Removal (on Substack)
A joint OPM–MSPB rule rewrites federal removal procedure across five parts of the Code of Federal Regulations. Comments close August 3. Thirty-nine have been filed.
- October 23, 2026
Piece 2OPM Sets the First Number: No More Than 40 Percent of Career Staff in the Top Two Ratings
A September 21 memo caps Level 4 and Level 5 ratings for fiscal 2026 for career GS, senior-professional and SES employees, the first cap to reach the General Schedule, and requires a separate bonus pool for Schedule Policy/Career. Agency waiver requests are due October 30.
- October 23, 2026
Piece 3OPM Ends the One-Year Wait for Promotions, and Calls Its Ratings Rule 'Complementary'
A final rule effective January 19, 2027 removes the 52-week time-in-grade requirement for General Schedule promotions. Its preamble ties the change to OPM's forced-distribution ratings rule, and says a rating is not 'necessary or sufficient' for promotion.
- October 23, 2026
Piece 4The Rating Curve Moves Up a Grade: OPM's New Rule for Senior Scientists and Experts
A final rule effective November 18 lets OPM set a forced rating distribution for the government's SL and ST experts and ends their informal grievance. The preamble promises limits that the regulatory text does not contain.
- October 23, 2026
Piece 5What the Title Doesn't Say: OPM's 'Workforce Realignment' Leave Rule Also Ends Administrative Leave for Poll Workers
A final rule published October 19 bars administrative leave for poll workers and poll observers, a change OPM acknowledges, and lets agencies decline a resignation withdrawal 'in its sole and exclusive discretion.' It takes effect November 18, after the election.
- October 29, 2026
Piece 6OPM tells agencies that reporting misconduct is protected, and that some responses to it belong in the suitability process
An Oct. 28 OPM memo restates whistleblower and witness protections, and tells agencies to meet "knowingly false counter-accusations" with discipline or an OPM suitability referral.
- October 29, 2026
Piece 7OPM puts agency hiring oversight in regulation, and lowers the floor on what the public sees from the employee survey
A final rule effective Nov. 30 writes each agency's Strategic Hiring Committee into 5 CFR part 250, adds the agency head's chief of staff without comment, and cuts the required survey questions to 10.
- November 4, 2026
Piece 8The Justice Department says it sent election monitors to all 50 states: what its release says, and what it leaves out
DOJ's Nov. 3 release lists 126 places in all 50 states, against 86 in 27 states in 2024 and 64 in 24 in 2022. It does not say where OPM federal observers went, or on what authority.