Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Definition
The Office of Personnel Management is a federal agency that manages the civil service of the government. It's responsible for hiring, managing benefits and pensions, and upholding standards for the federal workforce.
Analogy
Think of OPM as a giant HR department for all federal employees. Just like an HR department in a company ensures that employees are hired fairly, paid correctly, and treated well, OPM does this on a much larger scale for all federal workers.
Related terms
Civil Service System: This is the system through which most federal bureaucrats are hired. It's based on merit rather than political affiliation.
Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS): This is one of the retirement plans that OPM manages. It provides retirement benefits to federal employees who meet certain criteria.
Hatch Act: A law that limits political activities by federal employees to ensure they perform their duties in a nonpartisan manner.
"Office of Personnel Management (OPM)" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (1)
- What is the role of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in the bureaucracy?
Resources
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