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OPM Proposes Ending 52-Week Time-In-Grade Rule

5/30/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced a proposal to eliminate the nearly 80-year-old time-in-grade rule for federal promotions.
The rule currently forces a 52-week waiting period before an employee can be considered for a higher grade.
OPM said agencies could promote based on merit and that a comment period runs until July 27.

History

Historical Context

The 1978 Civil Service Reform Act, signed by President Jimmy Carter, replaced seniority-driven promotion with merit-based rules and created the Office of Personnel Management and the Merit Systems Protection Board, overseeing about 2.1 million federal employees. Building on earlier reforms such as the 1883 Pendleton Act, OPM’s 2024 proposal to drop the 80-year-old time-in-grade rule seeks to further loosen seniority constraints.

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Story summary

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced a proposal to eliminate the nearly 80-year-old time-in-grade rule for federal promotions.
The rule currently forces a 52-week waiting period before an employee can be considered for a higher grade.
OPM said agencies could promote based on merit and that a comment period runs until July 27.

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