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Transformation of OPM Under Biden Administration

Just six years after an attempt to dismantle the federal government’s dedicated human resources agency, officials at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are now emphasizing the significant changes that have taken place during the Biden administration.

The agency’s leaders recently published a 12-page report detailing OPM’s recent initiatives. These range from enhancing pay equity and boosting early-career recruitment among federal employees to improving the services offered to other government agencies.

The report underscores that “Over the last four years, the agency has demonstrated in numerous ways that a strong, well-run OPM is essential to a well-functioning government that effectively serves the American people.” It highlights that OPM has transformed into a healthy organization poised to build upon its achievements, while acknowledging that further efforts are still needed.

Among OPM’s key contributions has been its support for federal employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, assisting agencies in adapting to a lasting hybrid work environment, and promoting President Biden’s vision of the federal government as a model employer. This vision encompasses the implementation of a $15 federal minimum wage and the prohibition of salary history inquiries during the hiring and pay-setting processes. Additionally, reforms to standardize locality pay mapping for both General Schedule and Federal Wage System employees have been initiated.

The agency has also updated its internal workflows to enhance service delivery for federal workers and partner agencies. By the end of 2024, OPM managed to reduce pending retirement applications to under 14,000—close to its set target—and achieved a top ranking in customer service satisfaction according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Furthermore, the agency received an ‘A’ rating on its previously challenging Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act scorecard.

Acting OPM Director Rob Shriver remarked that the agency has undergone a complete metamorphosis since the devastating 2015 cybersecurity breach that exposed federal personnel records and its near merger with the General Services Administration. “This agency is in as strong a position as it’s been in all of the years I’ve been connected with OPM,” he noted, recalling his early career with the National Treasury Employees Union. He added, “This version of the agency is really hitting on all cylinders, delivering across the board for the federal enterprise and ready to support the incoming administration.”

Shriver addressed the agency’s regulations intended to prevent, or at least mitigate, the potential reimplementation of Schedule F, an initiative from the Trump administration that would remove civil service protections from tens of thousands of federal employees in designated “policy-related” roles. As Trump prepares for his imminent return to office, Schriver emphasized that any attempt by the new administration to reverse these regulations would need substantial justification grounded in law.

“The normal steps under the Administrative Procedure Act would be for a new administration to follow the same process that we did to change the regulation,” he explained. He highlighted that forthcoming policies would need an evidence-based administrative record demonstrating their validity over OPM’s current stance, which focuses on merit-based decisions for employment.

Looking ahead, Shriver expressed optimism that the incoming administration might consider OPM’s legislative proposal to streamline the administration of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The current decentralized framework complicates OPM’s oversight and auditing efforts, a challenge that could potentially be alleviated by adopting lessons learned from the recently launched Postal Service Health Benefits Program.

“The decentralized nature of the current system hampers our ability to address improper enrollments and payments,” Shriver noted. He contrasted this with the recent postal initiative, which provided OPM with crucial data revealing the root causes of improper enrollments, often stemming from inadvertent errors rather than fraudulent activities.

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