Anonymous wrote:My agency is downgrading ratings across the board this year. It's funny to me, because I'm less motivated to work hard now since it will be nearly impossible to get anything more than fully successful so it seems like a counterproductive move. I know it's coming from OPM so I'm not made at my agency about it though.

Right our ratings were sent up to Commerce for “re-balancing”, I think part of this: https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/12/trump-limit-top-ratings-all-feds-and-consolidate-scoring-forthcoming-rule/410246/

The question is this just to get people to quit or is the first stage of another campaign of firing? And is there anything to be to done by individual employees to mitigate?

My agency is downgrading ratings across the board this year. It's funny to me, because I'm less motivated to work hard now since it will be nearly impossible to get anything more than fully successful so it seems like a counterproductive move. I know it's coming from OPM so I'm not made at my agency about it though.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you think a grievance would be helpful? You’re just making yourself a bigger target for your boss. And grievances will just make even more work for already overloaded coworkers.

Many if my colleagues are recommending we all do it together. My instinct is to just move on, so lets do the inverse. What if we all got lower scores, and Im the only one which did not enter a grievance? I think that is actually my bigger concern??!!

Why do you think a grievance would be helpful? You’re just making yourself a bigger target for your boss. And grievances will just make even more work for already overloaded coworkers.

My score decreased by 10%. It's still within the Fully Successful range, but AI suggests I should be concerned if there are reductions in force (RIF). Will filing a grievance be beneficial in any way?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like that would be something better left to your union to file a national grievance.

Our agency does not have a union

Got it. I think you have to see your score and compare it to your PWP before you file a grievance over it. That said, ours are kind of subjective but if yours has objective criteria and they mess around with the ratings a grievance might be worthwhile.

There are no clear metrics. The job is mostly keep things running, respond to problems promptly, and write reports (its specialized technical skills, but there is no widget number or money saved/earned or other firm metric).

In that case I think it will be hard to file a grievance. The managers will likely get together and do a calibration (i.e. a 5 is this, a 4 is this, etc.) so, in theory, everyone will get the same watered down rating. And really who would you grieve to in that situation where it is a coordinated effort by the management team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like that would be something better left to your union to file a national grievance.

Our agency does not have a union

Got it. I think you have to see your score and compare it to your PWP before you file a grievance over it. That said, ours are kind of subjective but if yours has objective criteria and they mess around with the ratings a grievance might be worthwhile.

There are no clear metrics. The job is mostly keep things running, respond to problems promptly, and write reports (its specialized technical skills, but there is no widget number or money saved/earned or other firm metric).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like that would be something better left to your union to file a national grievance.

Our agency does not have a union

Got it. I think you have to see your score and compare it to your PWP before you file a grievance over it. That said, ours are kind of subjective but if yours has objective criteria and they mess around with the ratings a grievance might be worthwhile.

Anonymous wrote:Seems like that would be something better left to your union to file a national grievance.

Our agency does not have a union

Seems like that would be something better left to your union to file a national grievance.

My agency recently shared the formal grievance process links, but 2025 performance reviews haven’t even been released yet. Given that we are a notoriously "hard-grading" agency, I’m concerned this move signals a planned downward shift in scoring (potentially 20% or more).

For those who have been through this: is it worth filing a grievance if scores are lowered across the board?