Personnel Documentation
Overview
Our Agency issues Governmentwide guidance on documenting individuals' Federal employment. OPM and the agency human resources offices use these documents to make decisions about employees' rights and benefits throughout their careers. Here you'll find instructions for Federal agencies' human resources offices on preparing personnel actions and keeping the Official Personnel Folder.
Guide to Processing Personnel Actions
The Guide to Processing Personnel Actions (GPPA) posted on this site is the most current version. Chapters of the GPPA are being revised on an ongoing basis. As a chapter is revised, the date it was last updated is noted beside each chapter title. This document contains information on how to prepare and process personnel actions, Standard Form 52 (SF-52), and Standard Form 50 (SF-50).
The GPPA Quick Sheet: Understanding the Basics provides a basic understanding of the OPM GPPA and the Standard Forms (SFs) used to process personnel actions for federal civilian employees.
Note: As GPPA chapters are being revised, changes and/or deletions to information contained in chapters are documented as follows:
- Changes in text or data are documented using angled right and left brackets surrounding the changed text or data in dark red font. Example: >Changed Text<
- Deletion of text or data is documented by three green asterisks. Example: ***
- All symbols referencing historical changes made to previous versions will be removed from revised chapters.
- Cover Page
- Table of Contents
- Chapter 1 - The Guide to Processing Personnel Actions (Effective 07/15/22)
- Chapter 2 - Reserved
- Chapter 3 - General Instructions for Processing Personnel Actions (Effective 02/29/24)
- Chapter 4 - Requesting and Documenting Personnel Actions (Effective 02/15/24)
- Chapter 5 - Reserved
- Chapter 6 - Creditable Service for Leave Accrual (Effective 06/29/23)
- Chapter 7 - Documenting Veterans' Preference (Effective 04/18/23)
- Chapter 8 - Reserved
- Chapter 9 - Career and Career-Conditional Appointments (Effective 07/14/22)
- Chapter 10 - Nonstatus Appointments in the Competitive Service (Effective 07/14/22)
- Chapter 11 - Excepted Service Appointments (Effective 06/29/23)
- Chapter 12 - Reserved
- Chapter 13 - Senior Executive Service (SES) (Effective 02/29/24)
- Chapter 14 - Promotions, Changes to Lower Grade, Level or Band, Reassignments, Position Changes and Details (Effective 02/29/24)
- Chapter 15 - Placement in Nonpay or Nonduty Status and Documentation of Written Warnings (Effective 04/17/24)
- Chapter 16 - Return to Duty from Nonpay Status (Effective 04/10/23)
- Chapter 17 - Pay and Step Changes (Effective 10/27/23)
- Chapter 18 - Exceptions to Reduction in Force Release (Effective 04/17/24)
- Chapter 19 - Continuance (Effective 06/29/23)
- Chapter 20 - Name Change (Effective 04/18/23)
- Chapter 21 - Realignment and Mass Transfer (Effective 05/19/23)
- Chapter 22 - Change in Federal Employees Group Life Insurance and Election of Living Benefits (Effective 09/28/23)
- Chapter 23 - Change in Duty Station (Effective 04/18/23)
- Chapter 24 - Change in Work Schedule/Change in Hours (Effective 08/02/23)
- Chapter 25 - Reserved
- Chapter 26 - Change in Tenure (Effective 10/12/23)
- Chapter 27 - Phased Employment/Phased Retirement (Effective 10/12/23)
- Chapter 28 - Change in Data Element (Effective 04/10/23)
- Chapter 29 - Bonuses and Awards (Effective 04/10/23)
- Chapter 30 - Retirements (Effective 09/28/23)
- Chapter 31 - Separations by Other than Retirement (Effective 09/28/23)
- Chapter 32 - Interim Relief Actions, Corrections, Cancellations and Replacement Actions for Cancellations (Effective 02/29/24)
- Chapter 33 - Documentation of Volunteer Service (Effective 09/28/23)
- Chapter 34 - Topic Index (Effective 03/13/24)
- Chapter 35 - Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actions
- Back Page
Updates reflecting changes to pages in the Guide are reflected below. Collectively, updates are already included within the Guide available on this site.
Update | Effective Date | Chapter(s) Impacted |
---|---|---|
Update 100 | 04/17/24 | 18 |
Update 99 | 04/17/24 | 15 |
Update 98 | 03/13/24 | 34 |
Update 97 | 02/29/24 | 3 |
Update 96 | 02/29/24 | 32 |
Update 95 | 02/29/24 | 14 |
Update 94 | 02/29/24 | 13 |
Update 93 | 02/15/24 | 4 |
Update 92 | 10/12/23 | 26 |
Update 91 | 10/27/23 | 17 |
Update 90 | 10/12/23 | 27 |
Update 89 | 09/28/23 | 33 |
Update 88 | 09/28/23 | 22 |
Update 87 | 09/28/23 | 31 |
Update 86 | 09/28/23 | 30 |
Update 85 | 08/02/23 | 24 |
Update 84 | 06/29/23 | 19 |
Update 83 | 06/29/23 | 11 |
Update 82 | 06/29/23 | 6 |
Update 81 | 05/19/23 | 21 |
Update 80 | 04/18/23 | 20 |
Update 79 | 04/18/23 | 23 |
Update 78 | 04/18/23 | 7 |
Update 77 | 04/10/23 | 28 |
Update 76 | 04/10/23 | 29 |
04/10/23 | 15, 16 | |
Update 74 | 07/15/22 | 1 |
07/14/22 | 9, 10 | |
Update 72 | 03/05/17 | 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 21, 24, 35 |
Update 71 | 01/10/16 |
3, 4, 11, 13, 14, 30, 31 |
Update 70 | 11/01/15 |
1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 |
Update 69 | 01/11/15 |
3, 4, 6, 11, 13, 14, 29, 30, 31, 32 |
Update 68 | 11/06/14 | 11, 13 |
Update 67 | 11/06/14 |
3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 28, 30, 31, 34, 35 |
Update 66 | 04/04/14 | 17 |
Update 65 | 02/09/14 |
4, 11, 13, 14, 17, 30, 31 |
Update 64 | 10/06/13 |
4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17, 30, 31 |
Update 63 | 07/28/13 |
6, 9, 10, 11, 15 |
Update 62 | 04/07/13 | 6, 11, 15 |
Update 61 | 01/27/13 |
6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 28 |
Update 60 | 10/18/12 |
9, 10, 11, 14 |
Update 59 | 07/10/12 |
1, 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 21, 28, 29, 33, 34 |
Update 58 | 05/22/12 | 15 |
Update 57 | 03/11/12 | 4, 6 |
Update 56 | 01/01/12 | 15, 16 |
Update 55 | 10/09/11 | 14, 29 |
Update 54 | 03/01/11 |
3, 9, 11, 34 |
Update 53 | 09/12/10 |
1, 3, 4, 10, 14, 26, 32, 35 |
Update 52 | 03/28/10 |
9, 15, 16, 34, 35 |
Update 51 | 09/13/09 |
3, 6, 9, 10, 14 |
Update 50 | 06/07/09 |
9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 32 |
Update 49 | 02/01/09 | 6 |
Update 48 | 12/21/08 |
3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 19, 28, 29, 31 |
Update 47 | 12/23/07 |
1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, 28, 29, 31, 34, 35 |
Update 46 | 01/07/07 |
4, 6, 9, 14, 17, 29, 34, 35 |
Update 45 | 08/06/06 |
1, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 35 |
Update 41 | 04/06/03 |
1, 3, 4, 11, 17 |
Update 40 | 06/30/02 |
3, 6, 11, 17, 18, 34, 35 |
Update 39 | 01/27/02 |
10, 15, 16, 17, 24, 29, 30 |
Update 38 | 11/04/01 |
4, 9, 11, 13, 14, 20, 28, 31 |
Update 37 | 06/03/01 |
4, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17, 29, 35 |
Update 36 | 12/31/00 |
6, 11, 33 |
Update 35 | 10/01/00 |
3, 4, 6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 29,35 |
Update 23 | 02/02/97 |
9, 10, 11, 17, 29, 33 |
GPPA Quick Sheets
Receive GPPA Notifications
- Email Persaction@opm.gov to subscribe to the GPPA list and receive email notifications for GPPA updates and announcements.
On This Page
Contact Information
- Email us at persaction@opm.gov. Please note: The persaction@opm.gov mailbox is utilized to respond to requests received from Human Resources personnel regarding processing personnel actions for the Federal workforce. If you are a current or former Federal employee, please contact your current or former servicing personnel office for assistance. Current and formal Federal employee requests received will not be responded to via this mailbox – these requests will be responded to with instructions to the requester to seek assistance from their servicing personnel office.
Personnel Recordkeeping (GPR)
Personnel recordkeeping regulations are found in part 293 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations. These regulations establish policies and minimum requirements governing the creation, development, maintenance, processing, use, and disposition.
The Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping is written in plain language and provides guidance to assist agencies with day to day personnel recordkeeping requirements.
The most recent Updates reflecting changes to pages in this Guide are reflected below. Updates, recent or otherwise, are archived. Collectively, Updates are already included within the Guide available on this site.
Update | Date |
---|---|
Update 13 Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping | 06/01/2011 |
Update 13a | 07/01/2017 |
Update 8 | 12/14/2001 |
Update 7 | 05/31/2001 |
Update 6 | 10/31/2000 |
Contact Information
- Email us at persdoc@opm.gov.
Requesting Official Personnel Folder (eOPF)
Current Employees
The Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) and electronic official personnel folders (eOPF), including SF 50s, for current Federal employees are stored at the employee’s current employing agency. If you are a current Federal employee seeking guidance regarding specific circumstances of your employment, SF-50, records or if you want to access your OPF or eOPF or have questions about the same, contact your employing agency’s Human Resources Office for assistance.
OPF/eOPF Amendments
If you feel that your official personnel folder is in error, please contact your agency’s HR office.
Former Employees
The Official Personnel Folders (OPFs), including SF 50s, for most former civilian Federal employees are stored at the address below. Please mail your request to:
National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
1411 Boulder Boulevard
Valmeyer, IL 62295
Or you may fax your hand signed request to the NPRC at telephone number 618-935-3014. More information is available on the NPRC website.
The location of records of former military employees varies depending on the branch of service and date of separation from service. Please visit NARA’s site on Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs) for details.
OPF/eOPF Amendments
If you feel that your official personnel folder is in error, please submit a written request to:U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Chief, Records Management and Data Policy
1900 E Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20415-7900
Your request must include your hand written signature and all of the following information:
- Social Security Number
- Date of birth
- Name of last agency where employed
- Approximate date when you left Federal service
- Details of the error you wish to be addressed
Have questions? Check out our Personnel Documentation Frequently Asked Questions or contact us at persdoc@opm.gov.