[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 156 (Friday, August 14, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52475-52479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-16630]



========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 156 / Friday, August 14, 2026 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 52475]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR PARTS 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, and 10

[Docket ID: OPM-2026-0562]
RIN 3206-AP19


Updates and Amendments to the Civil Service Rules

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Direct final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the President's direction in Executive Order 
14410, Implementing Schedule Policy/Career in the Excepted Service, the 
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a direct final rule to 
update and amend obsolete and outdated provisions of the Civil Service 
Rules that do not substantively affect agency operations.

DATES: This rule is effective October 13, 2026, unless significant 
adverse comments are received by September 14, 2026. If significant 
adverse comments are received, OPM will withdraw the relevant 
provisions of this direct final rule.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments for this direct final rule within 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
    Comments must be received by the end of the comment period to be 
considered. All comments and other submissions received generally will 
be posted on the internet at regulations.gov as they are received, 
without change, including any personal information provided. However, 
OPM retains discretion to redact personal or sensitive information, 
including but not limited to personal or sensitive information 
pertaining to third parties.
    A summary of this rule may be found in the docket for this 
rulemaking at www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aaron Gottesman, Office of Personnel 
Management, Office of the Director, (202) 606-1300, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Civil Service Rules, codified at 5 CFR subchapter A, govern 
fundamental aspects of Federal employment, including appointments, 
examinations, certain prohibited practices, and probationary periods.
    The Civil Service Rules trace their origins to the dawn of the 
merit-based civil service. The original Civil Service Rules were 
promulgated by President Chester A. Arthur on May 7, 1883, a few months 
after the passage of the Pendleton Act (22 Stat. 403) on January 16, 
1883. The Pendleton Act required open, competitive examinations for 
positions in what was then known as the ``classified service''; 
mandated probationary periods before finalization of appointments to 
the classified service; and protected classified service employees from 
being required to engage in political activities.\1\ The Pendleton Act 
also created the Civil Service Commission, OPM's predecessor agency, to 
administer and enforce these requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 22 Stat. 403.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    President Arthur's original Civil Service Rules defined the scope 
of the classified service and restated, and expanded upon, the 
Pendleton Act's requirements regarding the classified service, 
including how exams were to be administered and graded and how 
probationary periods were to be administered.\2\ Over time, successive 
Presidents expanded the scope of the classified service (later known as 
the competitive service) via amendments to the Civil Service Rules.\3\ 
The last comprehensive revision of the Civil Service Rules occurred 
under President Eisenhower in Executive Order (E.O.) 10577, 19 FR 7521, 
issued on November 22, 1954.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The text of President Arthur's Executive order promulgating 
the original Civil Service Rules is available at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-342.
    \3\ See, e.g., President Cleveland, E.O. 92, Amendments to Civil 
Service Rules (May 6, 1896), available at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-civil-service-rules; President Theodore Roosevelt, E.O. 279, Prohibiting 
Appointment in Executive Departments for Any Service of Character 
Performed by Classified Employees Except Under Civil Service Rules 
(Nov. 29, 1904), available at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-41; President Franklin D. Roosevelt, E.O. 
8743, 6 FR 2117, Extending the Classified Civil Service (April 23, 
1941).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Since E.O. 10577, Presidents have continued to periodically amend 
the Civil Service Rules.\4\ However, the Civil Service Rules have not 
been comprehensively amended and updated since President Eisenhower. 
Thus, they contain many outdated and obsolete provisions and 
references. These include references to statutory provisions that have 
been repealed or superseded; reports that are no longer published; 
departments and positions that no longer exist; and terms that are now 
considered outmoded.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ See, e.g., President Clinton, E.O. 13197, 66 FR 7853, 
Governmentwide Accountability for Merit System Principles; Workforce 
Information (Jan. 18, 2001); President Obama, E.O. 13562, 75 FR 
82585, Recruiting and Hiring Students and Recent Graduates (Dec. 27, 
2010); President Obama, E.O. 13764, 82 FR 8115, Amending the Civil 
Service Rules, Executive Order 13488, and Executive Order 13467 To 
Modernize the Executive Branch-Wide Governance Structure and 
Processes for Security Clearances, Suitability and Fitness for 
Employment, and Credentialing, and Related Matters (Jan. 17, 2017); 
President Trump, E.O. 13843, 83 FR 32755, Excepting Administrative 
Law Judges From the Competitive Service (July 10, 2018); President 
Trump, E.O. 14284, 90 FR 17729, Strengthening Probationary Periods 
in the Federal Service (April 24, 2025); President Trump, E.O. 
14317, 90 FR 34753, Creating Schedule G in the Excepted Service 
(July 17, 2025).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In Section 2(g) of E.O. 14410, 91 FR 34893, Implementing Schedule 
Policy/Career in the Excepted Service, President Trump directed that 
OPM, within 60 days, ``take steps to prepare and issue revisions that 
remove or update, as applicable, obsolete provisions of the Civil 
Service Rules that do not substantively affect agency operations.''
    This direct final rule implements that direction. It removes or 
updates outdated and obsolete provisions of the Civil Service Rules 
without changing current rights, obligations, or agency operations. 
Making these updates will allow the Civil Service Rules to offer clear 
direction for Federal employees, applicants, and agencies, without 
obsolete provisions and outdated terminology undermining or distracting 
from their authoritative nature.

II. Regulatory Changes

1. Changes to Civil Service Rule II

    OPM is removing 5 CFR 2.1(c), which addresses OPM's procedures for 
examining and certifying lists of

[[Page 52476]]

eligibles for fourth-class postmaster positions. This is an outdated 
legacy provision that dates from the time of the Civil Service 
Commission. The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-375, 84 
Stat. 719) removed postal employees from the competitive service, 
establishing the U.S. Postal Service and mandating that appointments in 
the Postal Service ``shall be in accordance with the procedures 
established by the Postal Service.'' 39 U.S.C. 1001(b). In addition, 
postal employees cannot acquire competitive status. See 5 U.S.C. 
2105(e) (excluding postal service employees from the definition of a 
civil service ``employee'' and consequently from the competitive 
service). Further, the Postal Service no longer uses the term ``fourth-
class postmaster,'' as the Postal Reorganization Act superseded the old 
postmaster-class appointment system referenced in 5 CFR 2.1(c).
    OPM is also removing 5 CFR 2.2(a)(4). Current Sec.  2.2(a)(4) is a 
legacy carveout in the career-conditional appointment rule for certain 
postal field service positions whose salary rates were fixed under the 
Postal Employees Pay Act of 1945 (Pub. L. 79-134, 59 Stat. 435). Modern 
Postal Service hiring is governed by title 39, United States Code, not 
by OPM-administered competitive-service registers. Section 1001(a) of 
title 39 U.S.C. provides that the Postal Service appoints its own 
officers and employees, and 39 U.S.C. 1001(b) provides that Postal 
Service appointments and promotions are made under Postal Service-
established procedures. Title 5 also provides that USPS and Postal 
Regulatory Commission employees are generally not ``employees'' for 
title 5 purposes. See 5 U.S.C. 2105(e).
    OPM is also removing 5 CFR 2.3, which requires that appointments in 
agency headquarters offices in Washington, DC be apportioned on a 
population basis among the several states, territories, and the 
District of Columbia. This requirement dates to the Pendleton Act and 
was formerly codified at 5 U.S.C. 3306. However, the apportionment 
requirement for Washington, DC headquarters offices was repealed by 
Public Law 95-228, 92 Stat. 25 (Feb. 10, 1978). Civil Service Rule 2.3 
is thus obsolete.

2. Changes to Civil Service Rule III

    OPM is revising 5 CFR 3.1(a)(2) to update the reference to the 
``Administrator of Veterans' Affairs'' to the ``Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs'', consistent with VA's designation as a cabinet department in 
1989. OPM is also revising the reference to ``the act of March 24, 1943 
(57 Stat. 43)'' to the current codification of the referenced provision 
at 38 U.S.C. 3115.
    OPM is also revising 5 CFR 3.1(b) to replace references to 
``handicapped employees'' with the modern term ``employees with a 
disability,'' and to replace a reference to a ``mentally retarded'' 
employee with the more modern term ``employee with an intellectual 
disability.''
    OPM is revising 5 CFR 3.2 to require that detailed statements of 
the reasons for non-competitive appointments be published on OPM's 
website, rather than in ``OPM's annual reports.'' Prior to 1980, OPM 
was required by 5 U.S.C. 1308 to publish a broad annual report on its 
administration of the competitive service. This requirement was ended 
by the Congressional Reports Elimination Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-470, 
94 Stat. 2237 (Oct. 19, 1980)). Since 1980, OPM has not published an 
``annual report'' of the type referenced in 5 CFR 3.2, and OPM is thus 
removing this obsolete reference.

3. Changes to Civil Service Rule V

    OPM is revising 5 CFR 5.1 to improve the organization and clarity 
of Civil Service Rule V (5 CFR part 5) and to update obsolete 
publication references. Current Sec.  5.1 contains the Director's 
general regulatory responsibilities and variation authority in 
unnumbered text, followed by a lettered list of the information that 
must be included in the official record when a variation is granted. 
The current final lettered paragraph also includes, at the end of that 
recordkeeping item, two separate requirements: that like variations be 
granted whenever like conditions exist, and that variation decisions 
and related information be published promptly. This structure can 
obscure that the ``like variations'' and publication requirements are 
independent requirements applicable to variations generally, rather 
than additional items to be included in the official record.
    The revision in this rule reorganizes Sec.  5.1 without changing 
the substantive standard for granting a variation or the required 
contents of the official record. Revised paragraph (a) states the 
Director's general regulatory responsibilities and authority to grant a 
variation when the Civil Service Rule's existing criteria are 
satisfied. Revised paragraph (b) retains the requirement that, whenever 
a variation is granted, the Director must note the official record, and 
redesignates the four existing recordkeeping elements as paragraphs 
(b)(1) through (4). Revised paragraph (c) separately states the 
existing requirement that like variations be granted whenever like 
conditions exist and updates the publication requirement.
    This reorganization is clarifying and non-substantive. It separates 
distinct concepts into separate paragraphs and places the four 
recordkeeping elements in a nested list under the recordkeeping 
requirement to which they relate.
    OPM is also making grammatical and plain-language revisions to 
clarify the existing limitation on the application of a variation. The 
revised language states more directly that a variation applies only 
while the conditions that justified it continue. The change improves 
readability and does not alter the substantive requirement that the 
variation remain tied to the continued existence of the conditions that 
gave rise to it.
    OPM is also revising 5 CFR 5.1 to replace the requirement that OPM 
promptly publish information concerning variations ``in a Federal 
Personnel Manual Letter or Bulletin and in the Director's next annual 
report'' with a requirement that such information be promptly published 
``in the Federal Register or on the Office's website.'' As noted above, 
the OPM Director no longer publishes an annual report containing broad 
information on his administration of the competitive service, as 
occurred before 1980. In addition, the Federal Personnel Manual was 
abolished in 1993. Thus, these references are both obsolete. 
Information regarding variations is currently published on OPM's 
website,\5\ and notice of variations may also be published in the 
Federal Register.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ See OPM, ``Variations,'' available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/variations/.
    \6\ See, e.g., OPM, Pathways Presidential Management Fellows 
Program: Variation, 90 FR 38603 (Aug. 11, 2025).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Changes to Civil Service Rule VI

    OPM is removing the reference to ``OPM's annual report'' in 5 CFR 
6.1(a) and substituting reference to the Federal Register or OPM's 
website. As noted above, OPM has not published an annual report on its 
administration of the competitive service since the requirement that it 
do so was ended in 1980.
    OPM is removing the exceptions contained in 5 CFR 6.8(a) through 
(c), as they are obsolete. The exceptions contained in 5 CFR 6.8(a) 
derive from E.O. 11839, 40 FR 7351 (as later amended by E.O. 11887, 40 
FR 51411). E.O. 11839 was issued by President Ford to move ``certain 
senior regional officials'' in various departments holding Limited 
Executive Assignments to Noncareer Executive Assignments (if

[[Page 52477]]

above GS-15). In addition, officials GS-15 and below who were not in 
the competitive service as of February 15, 1975, and who served ``as 
the principal representative of the Secretary [of Commerce or Interior] 
in their respective regions'' were moved to Schedule C assignments.
    The references in 5 CFR 6.8(a) to officials above GS-15 holding 
Noncareer Executive Assignments, Limited Executive Assignments and 
Career Executive Assignments are a vestige of the old Executive 
Assignment System for GS-16, GS-17 and GS-18 positions, codified in a 
now-repealed version of Civil Service Rule IX.\7\ This framework was 
superseded by the creation of the Senior Executive Service in the Civil 
Service Reform Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-454, 92 Stat. 1111). More 
broadly, the purpose of E.O.s 11839 and 11887 in moving certain 
incumbent regional officials into noncareer roles was accomplished long 
ago, and thus there is no longer any need for 5 CFR 6.8(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ The parts of E.O. 11839 that amended Civil Service Rule IX 
were themselves repealed when Civil Service Rule IX was repealed by 
E.O. 12748, 56 FR 4521, Providing for Federal Pay Administration 
(Feb. 4, 1991).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The next provision, 5 CFR 6.8(b), derives from E.O. 12021, 43 FR 
12303, issued by President Carter to move the incumbent regional 
directors and regional administrators in the Community Services 
Administration and ACTION into noncareer roles (unless those incumbents 
were in the competitive service as of November 29, 1977). The Community 
Services Administration and ACTION no longer exist; the Community 
Services Administration was closed in 1981 and ACTION was closed in 
1994. Thus, 5 CFR 6.8(b) is obsolete.
    The final provision, 5 CFR 6.8(c), derives from President Reagan's 
E.O. 12300, 46 FR 18663, moving certain incumbent regional officials in 
the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service and the Farmers 
Home Administration into Schedule C. Both these former subunits within 
the Department of Agriculture were abolished as part of a 1994 
departmental reorganization. Thus, OPM is removing this obsolete and 
outdated provision.
    OPM has confirmed that no current positions, incumbents, 
appointments, or agency operations depend on the obsolete designations 
and grandfathering provisions in Sec.  6.8(a) through (c).

5. Changes to Civil Service Rule IX

    OPM is updating a reference to the National Imagery and Mapping 
Agency to reflect the agency's current name, the National Geospatial-
Intelligence Agency.

6. Changes to Civil Service Rule X

    OPM is updating a reference to the General Accounting Office to 
reflect the agency's current name, the Government Accountability 
Office.

III. Expected Impact

1. Statement of Need

    OPM has determined that this regulatory action is necessary to 
implement the President's direction in E.O. 14410 to update and clarify 
outdated and obsolete references in the Civil Service Rules.

2. Impact

    The changes in this rule will have no substantive impact on agency 
operations; however, the changes are expected to improve the clarity 
and usability of the Civil Service Rules.

3. Costs

    This rule will not impose any costs on Federal agencies as it 
merely removes or amends outdated provisions of the Civil Service Rules 
that have no substantive impact on current agency operations.

4. Benefits

    The Civil Service Rules have not been comprehensively revised in 
more than 70 years and they thus contain many outdated references that 
undermine their authoritative nature and create confusion. This rule 
will create clarity for Federal employees, agencies, and job 
applicants.

5. Alternatives

    OPM was directed to engage in this rulemaking by President Trump's 
E.O. 14410. OPM considered each provision of the current Civil Service 
Rules and whether the provisions were outdated or obsolete. OPM then 
considered whether the provision should be removed or could be revised 
to capture the original intent. OPM considers this final rule to be the 
best combination of revisions to retain relevant portions of the Civil 
Service Rules and to remove obsolete provisions.

6. Severability

    If any provision of this final rule is held to be invalid or 
unenforceable by its terms, or as applied to any person or 
circumstance, we believe that the various remaining provisions should 
be severable and need not be impacted.

IV. Regulatory Compliance

1. Administrative Procedure Act

    This rule is suitable for direct final rulemaking because it is 
non-controversial, consistent with Federal law and policy, and will not 
substantively impact Federal agency operations or employees. The rule 
is limited to revising obsolete references and provisions that OPM has 
determined to have no current substantive effect. OPM does not expect 
to receive any significant adverse comments related to these minor 
modifications. These provisions of the rule will be beneficial to 
agencies and members of the public because they will improve the 
usability of the Civil Service Rules. The revisions make no changes to 
the legal obligations or rights of any affected parties (i.e., they 
reflect requirements that are already in effect). OPM accordingly finds 
that it is in the public interest to have this rule be effective as 
soon as possible.
    This rule will be effective October 13, 2026, unless significant 
adverse comments are received by September 14, 2026. A significant 
adverse comment is one that explains: (1) why the rule is 
inappropriate, including challenges to the rule's underlying premise or 
approach; or (2) why the direct final rule will be ineffective or 
unacceptable without a change. If such comments are received, the 
applicable provisions of this direct final rule will be withdrawn and 
OPM will publish a proposed rule for comments. If no significant 
adverse comments are received, this direct final rule will become 
effective 30 days after the comment period expires. A comment 
recommending an addition to the rule will not be considered significant 
and adverse unless the comment explains how this direct final rule 
would be ineffective without the addition. If OPM receives a 
significant adverse comment on a severable provision, OPM may withdraw 
only the affected provision and allow the remainder of the rule to 
become effective.

2. Regulatory Review

    OPM has examined the impact of this rule as required by E.O.s 12866 
and 13563, which direct agencies to assess all costs and benefits of 
available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to 
select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including 
potential economic, environmental, public, health, and safety effects, 
distributive impacts, and equity). A regulatory impact analysis must be 
prepared for rules that have an annual effect on the economy of $100

[[Page 52478]]

million or more or adversely affect in a material way the economy, a 
sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the 
environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or tribal 
governments or communities. This is not an E.O. 12866 significant 
action. For the reasons discussed earlier, this rule is considered 
deregulatory under E.O. 14192.

3. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Director of OPM certifies that this rulemaking will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities 
because the rule will apply only to Federal agencies and employees.

4. Federalism

    This rulemaking will not have substantial direct effects on the 
States, on the relationship between the national government and the 
States, or on distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government. Therefore, in accordance with E.O. 13132, 
the Director of OPM certifies that this rulemaking does not have 
sufficient federalism implications to warrant preparation of a 
Federalism Assessment.

5. Civil Justice Reform

    This rulemaking meets the applicable standards set forth in section 
3(a) and (b)(2) of E.O. 12988.

6. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (2 
U.S.C. 1532) requires that agencies assess anticipated costs and 
benefits before issuing any rule that would impose spending costs on 
State, local, or tribal governments in the aggregate, or on the private 
sector, in any 1 year of $100 million in 1995 dollars, updated annually 
for inflation. That threshold is currently approximately $206 million. 
This rulemaking will not result in the expenditure by State, local, or 
tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, in 
excess of the threshold. Thus, no written assessment of unfunded 
mandates is required.

7. Congressional Review Act

    OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has determined 
this rule does not satisfy the criteria listed in 5 U.S.C. 804(2). In 
addition, this is a rule relating to agency management or personnel and 
does not come within the meaning of the term ``rule'' as used in 5 
U.S.C. 804(3)(C). Therefore, the reporting requirement of 5 U.S.C. 801 
does not apply.

8. Paperwork Reduction Act

    This regulatory action does not impose any new reporting or 
recordkeeping requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act.

List of Subjects

5 CFR Parts 2, 3, 6, 9, and 10

    Government employees.

5 CFR Part 5

    Administrative practice and procedure, Investigations.

Signing Statement

    Scott Kupor, reviewed and approved this document and has authorized 
the undersigned to electronically sign and submit this document to the 
Office of the Federal Register for publication.

Office of Personnel Management.
Jerson Matias,
Federal Register Liaison.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Office of Personnel 
Management amends 5 CFR parts 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, and 10 as follows:

PART 2--APPOINTMENT THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE; RELATED 
MATTERS (RULE II)

0
1. The authority citation for part 2 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 1103(b)(4), 3301, 3302; E.O. 14410, 91 FR 
34893.


Sec.  2.1  [Amended]

0
2. Amend Sec.  2.1 by removing paragraph (c).

0
3. Amend Sec.  2.2 by revising paragraphs (a)(2) and (3) and removing 
paragraph (a)(4). The revisions read as follows:


Sec.  2.2  Appointments.

    (a) * * *
    (2) Employees serving under career appointments at the time of 
selection from such registers; and
    (3) Former employees who have eligibility for career appointments 
upon reinstatement.
* * * * *


Sec.  2.3  [Removed]

0
4. Remove Sec.  2.3.

PART 3--NONCOMPETITIVE ACQUISITION OF STATUS (RULE III)

0
5. The authority citation for part 3 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 3301, 3302; E.O. 14410, 91 FR 34893.


0
6. Amend Sec.  3.1 by:
0
a. In paragraph (a)(2), removing the words ``the Administrator of 
Veterans' Affairs'' and adding, in their place, ``the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs'' and removing the words ``the act of March 24, 1943 
(57 Stat. 43)'' and adding, in their place, ``38 U.S.C. chapter 31''; 
and
0
b. Revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  3.1  Classes of persons who may noncompetitively acquire status.

* * * * *
    (b) Upon recommendation by the employing agency, and subject to 
such requirements as the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe, 
the following classes of employees with disabilities may acquire 
competitive status without competitive examination:
    (1) An employee with a severe physical disability who completes at 
least two years of satisfactory service in a position excepted from the 
competitive service.
    (2) An employee with an intellectual disability who completes at 
least two years of satisfactory service in a position excepted from the 
competitive service.
    (3) An employee with a psychiatric disability who completes at 
least two years of satisfactory service in a position excepted from the 
competitive service.


Sec.  3.2  [Amended]

0
7. In Sec.  3.2, remove the words ``in OPM's annual reports'' and add, 
in their place, ``on OPM's website''.

PART 5--REGULATIONS, INVESTIGATION, AND ENFORCEMENT (RULE V)

0
8. The authority citation for part 5 is revised to read:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 3301, 3302; E.O. 12107, 44 FR 1055, 3 CFR, 
1978 Comp., p. 264; E.O. 14410, 91 FR 34893.


0
9. Revise Sec.  5.1 to read as follows:


Sec.  5.1  Civil Service regulations.

    (a) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall 
promulgate and enforce regulations necessary to carry out the 
provisions of the Civil Service Act and the Veterans' Preference Act, 
as reenacted in title 5, United States Code, the Civil Service Rules, 
and all other statutes and Executive orders imposing responsibilities 
on the Office. The Director is authorized, whenever there are practical 
difficulties and unnecessary hardships in complying with the strict 
letter of the regulation, to grant a variation from the strict letter 
of the regulation if such a variation is within the spirit of the 
regulations, and the efficiency of the Government and the integrity of 
the competitive service are protected and promoted.

[[Page 52479]]

    (b) Whenever a variation is granted, the Director shall note the 
official record to show:
    (1) The particular practical difficulty or hardship involved;
    (2) What is permitted in place of what is required by regulations;
    (3) The circumstances which protect or promote the efficiency of 
the Government and the integrity of the competitive service; and
    (4) A statement that the variation applies only while the 
conditions that gave rise to it continue.
    (c) Like variations shall be granted whenever like conditions 
exist. All such decisions and information concerning variations noted 
in the official record shall be published promptly in the Federal 
Register or on the Office's website.

PART 6--EXCEPTIONS FROM THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE (RULE VI)

0
10. The authority citation for part 6 is revised to read:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 3301, 3302; E.O. 14410, 91 FR 34893.


Sec.  6.1  [Amended]

0
11. In Sec.  6.1(a), remove the words ``in OPM's annual report for the 
fiscal year in which the exceptions are made'' and add, in their place, 
``in the Federal Register or on OPM's website''.


Sec.  6.8  [Amended]

0
12. In Sec.  6.8, remove paragraphs (a), (b), and (c), and redesignate 
paragraphs (d) and (e) as paragraphs (a) and (b).

PART 9--WORKFORCE INFORMATION (RULE IX)

0
13. Add an authority citation to read as follows:

    Authority:  E.O. 13197, 66 FR 7853, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 750; 
E.O. 14410, 91 FR 34893.


Sec.  9.1  [Amended]

0
14. In Sec.  9.1, remove the words ``Imagery and Mapping'' and add, in 
their place, ``Geospatial-Intelligence''.

PART 10--AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS; OPM AUTHORITY TO REVIEW 
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS (RULE X)

0
15. Add an authority citation for part 10 to read as follows:

    Authority:  E.O. 13197, 66 FR 7853, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 750; 
E.O. 14410, 91 FR 34893.


Sec.  10.1  [Amended]

0
16. In Sec.  10.1, remove the words ``General Accounting'' and add, in 
their place, ``Government Accountability''.

[FR Doc. 2026-16630 Filed 8-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-46-P