OPM has issued a new rule in 5 CFR 250 intended to align human capital management practices to broader agency strategic planning activities, and better align human capital activities with an agency’s mission and strategic goals. This will enable agency leadership to better leverage the workforce to achieve results. In addition, the final regulation will allow agencies to gather additional information from employee surveys. The rule is effective April 11, 3017.

5 CFR 250 1216 (Federal Register, Vol. 81, No. 238, 12/12/16)

OPM has issued a final rule, effective January 3rd, 2017, that prohibits an agency from making specific inquiries concerning an applicant’s criminal or adverse credit background of the sort asked on the OF306,”Declaration of Federal Employment” in its “Background Information” section, or in other forms used to determine suitability or conduct background investigations for Federal employment, until a hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. The compliance date for the final rule will be March 31st, 2017.

Legislation resulted in a change to probationary period that applies only to employees who are appointed to permanent positions in the competitive service in DoD.

“The probationary period for many new civilian employees hired by the Defense Department on or after Nov. 26, 2015, has changed from one year to two years, the acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for civilian personnel policy said.”

https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/961606/dod-announces-new-hire-probationary-period

However, Congress is considering extending it to all civilian employees, which as with all things Congressional may or may not happen and probably would not happen quickly.

“The House of Representatives’ Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the Government Managers Coalition (GMC) and the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) have asked the committee to consider extending the probationary period covering new federal employees. The committee is expected to consider the proposal in its next scheduled session on January 12, 2016.”

http://www.fedsmith.com/2016/01/11/expanding-the-probationary-period-for-new-federal-employees/#sthash.IkLNDnGf.dpuf