6 days ago
Trump revises guidance on federal employee bonuses
The Trump administration is shaking up how federal employees earn cash and vacation awards, saying the biggest bonuses should go to only the highest performers.
On Monday, the Office of Personnel Management said in new guidance that 'inflated and subjective performance ratings' have diminished 'the provision of meaningful bonuses and awards to reward the most deserving employees.' In turn, agencies should ensure that only exceptional individuals in their workforce receive high incentives.
'Awards must be commensurate with the employee's annual summary rating or rating of record (as applicable),' said OPM Director Scott Kupor in the memo to agency and department heads, adding, 'Meaning that employees who have received ratings above 'Fully Successful' should receive the largest bonuses.'
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The guidance advises agencies on how to craft group-level and individual-level award programs. That includes setting up 'gainsharing' efforts where federal employees can share in cost savings and productivity gains as well as creating a 'Secretary's Award' so an agency's top leader can honor high performance by a single staffer or employee teams.
