Removal of References to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures in Federal Personnel Regulations
What happened
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is removing references to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP) from Federal civil service regulations. This interim final rule, effective July 31, 2026, conforms OPM's regulations to a June 9, 2026, Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) opinion that found UGESP unlawful. The OLC concluded that UGESP embraced an unconstitutional reading of Title VII and imposed burdensome validation requirements beyond what Title VII requires.
Why it matters
This action aims to align federal hiring practices with current legal interpretations, removing standards deemed unconstitutional. Federal agencies will no longer be bound by UGESP's adverse-impact and validation-study framework, but are still expected to use job-related, merit-based, and professionally sound selection procedures.
Who it affects
- ›Federal agencies and departments
- ›Individuals seeking federal employment
- ›Federal civil service employees
- ›Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
The receipts are official. The summary is ours.
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