Personnel News Today — August 26, 2026
Unions: OPM’s suitability and performance management overhauls assert ‘plenary’ authority over federal firing and more — today's personnel signal.
The federal government and local agencies are navigating changes in personnel management and employee dynamics. The Office of Personnel Management's recent overhauls to suitability and performance management have sparked concerns from unions that the new rules assert too much authority over federal agencies' ability to fire employees. This development comes as agencies have made efforts to retain talent, having backfilled nearly 20,600 positions left vacant by employees who took advantage of deferred resignation programs.
Meanwhile, at the local level, Maricopa County is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to better understand and respond to resident needs. Early findings from the county's new AI assistant have revealed key priorities for residents, offering insights that could inform policy and service delivery. These stories highlight the complex and evolving nature of personnel management in government, as agencies strive to balance workforce needs with changing technologies and community expectations.
Today's signal:
• Unions: OPM’s suitability and performance management overhauls assert ‘plenary’ authority over federal firing (govexec.com)
• Agencies backfilled 20,600 employees who left government under the deferred resignation programs, analysis finds (govexec.com)
• Early findings from Maricopa County’s new AI assistant reveal resident priorities (route-fifty.com)