 Good morning,
OPM has received numerous inquiries from agencies regarding the handling of performance ratings for individuals who elected to take the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) in 2025. Below is a question and answer on how agencies should proceed with the performance management closeout for their DRP employees.
Q: How should agencies handle ratings and performance awards for employees who have opted for the DRP?
A. Agencies should not rate employees who have chosen the DRP. If an agency wants to rate or reward DRP employees who worked past September 30, 2025, it should set procedures in its performance management closeout policy.
The requirements for rating and rewarding executives in the Senior Executive Service (SES) are different than those for non-SES employees. For example, the rating period for an SES may end early (5 CFR 430.304(b)(5)); however, the rating period for non-SES employees may not end early. When rating and/or rewarding DRP participants, the following must be taken into consideration:
DRP Senior Executives:
- A senior executive must have worked through or beyond September 30, 2025, and have completed a minimum performance period of 90 days prior to being placed on administrative leave.
- The supervisor must issue an initial summary rating to which the senior executive must have an opportunity to respond to in writing before the initial summary rating is forwarded to the Performance Review Board;
- The agency must provide the senior executive with an opportunity to request a higher-level review of the initial summary rating in accordance with 5 CFR § 430.309(e)(2);
- The PRB must review and make written recommendations to the appointing authority on all SES ratings and performance awards; and
- An SES performance award must be based upon an annual summary rating as defined in 5 CFR § 430.303. An interim rating or “closeout” rating is not an annual summary rating for which a performance award may be granted.
DRP Non-SES Employees:
- Non-SES employees must have completed the minimum period of performance (5 CFR § 430.207(a)) prior to being placed on administrative leave;
- An agency shall not issue a rating of record that assumes a level of performance by an employee without an actual evaluation of that employee’s performance (5 CFR 430.208(a)(2)); and
- Non-SES employees must be on the agency’s rolls on the last day of the appraisal period in order to receive a rating of record as defined in 5 CFR § 430.203. An interim rating or “closeout” rating is not a rating of record for which a performance award may be granted.
If you have additional questions on this or other performance management matters, please contact the OPM Agency Operations and Services team via email at performance-management@opm.gov.
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