OPM Cut the Workload Question: What Changes When Your Agency Runs Its Own Employee Survey

OPM's proposed rule on the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey would cut the required questions from sixteen to ten, and one of the questions on the chopping block is "My workload is reasonable." OPM says the goal is to make the annual survey "a helpful tool instead of a popularity contest." It is hard to see how a question about workload qualifies as a popularity contest.

Here is what is changing, what the law still requires, and why federal employees, union stewards, and HR professionals should pay attention this fall.

Your Agency Runs the Survey Now

For twenty years, OPM ran one governmentwide employee survey. It skipped 2025 entirely, and it "will no longer administer" the survey going forward. Starting with the 2026 cycle, each agency runs its own, following a July 9 memo from the OPM Director and an accompanying Employee Survey Playbook.

The playbook tells agencies they "should not need to procure outside vendors" and points them toward Microsoft Forms, the same tool many offices use for potluck sign-ups. Expect the format, timing, and quality of the survey to vary from agency to agency.

The Survey Is Required by Law

This is not an optional OPM initiative. Section 1128 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-136, codified at 5 U.S.C. § 7101 note, requires every agency to survey its employees annually and directs OPM to prescribe common questions "in order to allow a comparison across agencies."

The current regulation at 5 C.F.R. § 250.302 lists sixteen required questions. Under 5 C.F.R. § 250.303, agencies must collect the data by December 31 and post the results within 120 days after the survey closes. OPM's proposed rule, published at 91 Fed. Reg. 40435 on July 2, 2026, would change what is required. Comments closed August 3, 2026, and no final rule has issued, so the current requirements remain in effect for now.

What Gets Cut, What Gets Added

The proposal would drop several questions federal employees have answered for years:

• "My workload is reasonable."
• "Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job?"
• "I recommend my organization as a good place to work."
• "I believe the results of this survey will be used to make my agency a better place to work."

That last one, as Shaun Southworth noted this week, rather answers itself.

One question would be added: "In my work unit, steps are taken to deal with a poor performer who cannot or will not improve." And one important question survived the cut: "I can disclose a suspected violation of any law, rule or regulation without fear of reprisal."

What You See Becomes the Agency's Call

Today, the regulation specifies what agencies must post publicly, including the questions asked, the number of employees surveyed, and the responses to each question. The proposed rule would replace that with a single sentence: "Each agency may determine the specific content of its public disclosure of its annual survey results."

Without a common OPM-run instrument, a governmentwide report, or a fixed disclosure standard, comparing your agency to others will get harder. Rankings built on FEVS data will depend on what each agency asks and what it chooses to post.

Practical Takeaways

• Expect a survey from your own agency this fall, not from OPM. Take it seriously; it may be the last cycle with numbers that line up across government.
• Stewards and HR/ER professionals: when your agency posts results, save them. Future postings may look very different.
• The whistleblower reprisal question is still on the list. If you have concerns about retaliation for reporting wrongdoing, the survey is one data point, but it is not a substitute for knowing your rights under the Whistleblower Protection Act.

If your workload stopped being reasonable a while ago and nobody asked, the question is still worth answering, even if it is no longer on the form. Stay informed about changes like this by joining our free newsletter.

Legal Disclaimer: This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Federal employment situations are fact-specific and time-sensitive. Please consult a qualified federal employment attorney about your specific situation. You can contact Southworth PC at attorneysforfederalemployees.com.