The rules around federal probationary periods gained attention after an OPM memo asked agencies for lists of all their employees currently on probation.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to add clarification on where to find probationary status information on the SF-50.
After the Trump administration reminded agencies that federal employees on their probationary periods are the easiest to fire, some may be wondering about the specific rights of probationary feds, and where there may be exceptions or exemptions.
The rules around federal probationary periods gained more attention after a Jan. 20 Office of Personnel Management memo asked agencies for lists of all their employees currently on probation. OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell told agencies to “promptly determine whether those employees should be retained at the agency.”
Probationary periods for federal employees typically last for one year. In less common circumstances, certain agencies and federal positions require two-year, or even three-year, probationary periods. Generally, the longer probations are reserved for law enforcement officers and certain employees at the Defense Department.
Importantly, a probationary period is not limited only to new employees entering the federal workforce for the first time. Employees who move into the Senior Executive Service, for example, or those who take an extended break from working for the federal...
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