Agencies Must Send OPM Political Appointee List by July 1, 2024

With election season swinging into high gear, and the first presidential debate this week in Atlanta, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ordered agencies to send a list of their politically appointive positions by July 1, 2024.

The memo is routine in presidential election years as it helps administrations with the transition, regardless of whether there’s a new administration. It will be given to the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates under the terms of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.

The memo must include:

• all positions which are appointed by the President, including the title and description of the duties of each position;

• the name of each person holding such a position;

• any vacancy in such a position and low long it has been vacant; and

• the date after the election when an appointment for the position “is necessary to ensure effective operation of the government.”

OPM will update the information to the digital Plum Book mandated by Congress.

Other Election Reminders

This memo comes after OPM released a memo reminding agencies of the rules around “burrowing” which is the name given to efforts to get political appointees into career positions in the federal government’s competitive and Senior Executive Service (SES) before a potential change of administration.

That memo includes a “Do’s and Don’ts Checklist” for political appointee hiring and reminds agencies of the “need to ensure all personnel actions remain free of political influence.”

Guidance on transitions will also be forthcoming from the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Office of Government Ethics, regardless of the outcome of the election.