Suitability Action Appeals
Built by the Tribune's code from the Federal Register. No AI wrote this page. Published in the Federal Register Aug. 3, 2026. Document 2026-15650. Updated Nov. 7, 2026.
- What it does
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations to revise how an applicant, appointee, or employee may appeal a suitability action taken under 5 CFR part 731. OPM will replace the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) as the adjudicative agency for such appeals. The change will streamline suitability action appeals procedures, thereby improving the efficiency, rigor, and timeliness by which OPM and agencies resolve challenges to suitability actions and ensure the integrity and efficiency of the service.
The Personnel Management Office's summary, as published in the Federal Register.
- What changed in the regulation
1 part of Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations:
Wording on eCFR: the day before it took effect and from the day it took effect (first part listed).
- Compared with
The Personnel Management Office has published 29 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 14 in all of 2025.
Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.
- Before this
1 earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 3206-AO97 since Jan. 1, 2025.
Since then:
- What happens next and when
Effective September 2, 2026. This rule does not apply to appeals filed with the MSPB before the effective date of this final rule.
The agency's dates, word for word.
The record as published
| Document number | 2026-15650 |
|---|---|
| Action | Final rule. |
| Agencies | Personnel Management Office |
| Published | Aug. 3, 2026 |
| Effective date | Sept. 2, 2026 |
| Regulation identifier (RIN) | 3206-AO97 |
| Docket | OPM-2025-0173 |
| Significant (marked in the Federal Register) | Yes |
Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register