# OPM Seeks Feedback on Federal Firing Reforms

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has reopened the public comment period until September 29, 2026, for its proposed rule "Promoting Employee Accountability," which aims to overhaul federal employee adverse action and performance management processes. This initiative responds to data showing minimal increases in federal employee terminations for poor performance or misconduct despite prior reforms, and it seeks to reduce supervisory burdens and improve accountability across federal agencies. The proposal aligns with recent Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) reforms and addresses systemic challenges highlighted by the nonprofit We the Doers. Procurement and HR professionals should be aware of these evolving regulatory changes as they may impact workforce management, contractor oversight, and agency operational efficiency. 

- **Why this matters:** The reforms could affect federal workforce accountability standards, influencing how agencies manage performance and disciplinary actions, which in turn impacts contract administration and contractor workforce compliance.
- Agencies and contractors should evaluate potential changes in performance management policies that may alter supervisory responsibilities and documentation requirements.
- The extended comment period through September 29, 2026, offers an opportunity for stakeholders to provide input that could shape final rule provisions affecting federal employment practices.
- Procurement professionals should monitor congressional actions related to these reforms, as legislative decisions may further modify federal workforce accountability frameworks.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Professional Services
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 22, 2026

### Government Entities
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)
- United States Congress
- Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

### Key Quotes
> I think Congress needs to lead. It was the first branch in the Constitution, so it really should be the first branch and it should reassert itself. And that will also avoid some of these wild partisan swings 	6 it makes it really hard to plan for the long term as a fed. I think we need something on a much more bipartisan basis.
> — Maureen Klovers, Cofounder, We the Doers

> Its a really complicated, really thorny topic, and theres a lot of politics attached to that. A lot of folks have to be very concerned about optics or existing relationships when theyre talking about this. But you cant have a healthy workforce without the ability to remove people who are not in the right jobs.
> — April Harding, Cofounder, We the Doers

> According to Federal Register data, the terminations between FY 2021 and 2023 ranged from 2000 - 2500 annually, jumping to ~3500 in FY 2025 due to RIFs falsely justified as underperformance.
> — Commenter

### Sources
- [
        OPM wants more feedback on proposed federal firing overhauls | Federal News Network](https://federalnewsnetwork.com/management/2026/09/opm-wants-more-feedback-on-proposed-federal-firing-overhauls) - Federal News Network
- [OPM wants more feedback on proposed federal firing overhauls](https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1wmu9zx/opm_wants_more_feedback_on_proposed_federal) - reddit-fednews
- [OPM wants more feedback on proposed federal firing overhauls](https://www.reddit.com/r/FedEmployees/comments/1wmua4t/opm_wants_more_feedback_on_proposed_federal) - reddit-fedemployees