Democratic Lawmakers Demand Details on Revised Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey

A coalition of 23 Democratic members of the House and Senate has asked the Trump administration to disclose the plan for the 2026 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). In a letter to Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representative James Walkinshaw (D-VA) sought the list of questions, deployment timeline, and any changes to response collection methods.

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Federal law requires OPM to conduct the FEVS annually, with 16 questions mandated by statute. The survey was postponed in fall 2020 due to COVID-19. In 2025, OPM Director Scott Kupor cancelled the FEVS, citing the need to remove questions conflicting with the president’s anti-diversity executive orders and to “refocus” it on performance and efficiency. OPM also eliminated most demographic data from its FedScope workforce data suite.

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Key dates include the 2020 pandemic-related postponement, the 2018 shift to a census-style distribution, the 2025 cancellation and replacement with quarterly pulse surveys, the June 2026 congressional request as the spring administration window closed, and the planned 2026 relaunch of the revised survey.

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OPM data show roughly 317,000 federal employees left in 2025, while the Pew Research Center reported a 10.3 % workforce decline that year; the cancelled survey also stripped most demographic variables from FedScope, limiting composition analysis.

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The FEVS provides statutory oversight, giving agencies and Congress insight into employee engagement, morale, and policy impacts. Its cancellation during a year of major workforce turnover raises concerns about monitoring the administration’s anti-diversity directives and assessing compliance with federal employment laws.

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The Democratic letter demanded the 2026 questionnaire, rollout schedule, and any changes to response methods. Kupor said OPM is redesigning the survey to emphasize micro-level questions about employee expectations and efficiency, and noted that quarterly pulse surveys are being used to fill the data gap, though they omit question text and raw data.

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Lawmakers say the 2025 changes are “dramatic, and, in many cases, illegal,” undermining statutory reporting. They also criticize the removal of demographic data, hampering oversight of diversity and inclusion.

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• “In 2025, the federal workforce experienced dramatic, and, in many cases, illegal changes,” — Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD

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• “According to OPM’s own data, approximately 317,000 employees left the federal government in 2025.” — Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD

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• “According to OPM’s own data, approximately 317,000 employees left the federal government in 2025. The Pew Research Center noted that the federal workforce decreased by 10.3% in 2025. While the FEVS is critical in any year to fulfill statutory requirements and help improve the civil service, it is deeply concerning that in a year of significant change that this survey was cancelled.” — Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD

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OPM has not set a release date for the revised 2026 FEVS. Congressional committees plan hearings to assess compliance with the statutory requirement and evaluate the pulse-survey approach. The outcome could shape future legislation on federal workforce data.

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