FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 16, 1998

CONTACT: Sharon J. Wells (202) 606-1800 sjwells@opm.gov

OPM STREAMLINES AGENCY PERSONNEL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Washington, D.C.--Beginning next year, the Office of Personnel Management will make it possible for agencies to reduce their required Official Personnel Folder (OPF) filing by an estimated 1.6 million documents a year. At the same time, OPM has provided agencies new options for reporting some Central Personnel Data File (CPDF) records.

Reinvention is alive and well at OPM as we continue to seek ways to streamline and simplify operations and how our agency does business with the rest of government, said OPM Director Janice R. Lachance. Eliminating unnecessary paperwork will improve personnel office operations and improve OPM operations.

The CPDF started in 1972 and is a database maintained by OPM to meet governmentwide statistical information needs. It is updated from data submitted by federal appointing offices. The OPF is a file containing records that cover an individuals employment history. The long-term records included in the file are chosen to protect the legal and financial rights of the government and the employee.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is the federal governments human resources agency. While daily providing the American public up-to-date employment information, OPM ensures that the nations civil service remains free of political influence and that federal employees are selected and treated fairly and on the basis of merit. OPM supports agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labormanagement relations, preparation of governments future leaders, compensation policy development, and programs to improve workforce performance. The agency manages the federal retirement system, as well as the worlds largest employersponsored health insurance program serving more than nine million federal employees, retirees and their family members.

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