How Do I Request My Official Personnel Folder (OPF) from a Federal Agency?

As a current or former federal employee, there are various reasons why you might want to request your Official Personnel Folder (OPF). These include reasons related to your employment with the federal government as well as reasons related to other non-government employment opportunities. In some cases, obtaining your OPF will be necessary to secure the benefits to which you are legally entitled as a current or former civil servant as well. Learn more from Rhode Island federal employment discrimination lawyer Jay Stafford:

What Information is In Your Official Personnel Folder (OPF)?

As the Office of Personnel Management explains, “[t]he Official Personnel Folder (Standard Form 66) is a file containing records for an individual’s federal employment career.” As the National Archives also explains, “Official Personnel Folders (OPF) are primarily administrative records used by the government to make accurate employment decisions throughout a federal employee’s career.” As such, as a current or former federal employee, your OPF may contain information including (but not limited to):

• Your federal employment history (including any promotions or demotions)
• Your compensation history as a federal employee
• Your choices regarding health benefits and beneficiary designations
• Information related to your reduction-in-force (RIF) or retirement
• Other “significant” events related to your career in the federal government

Generally speaking, the more time you spend in the federal government, the larger your OPF will grow. Your OPF should always be accurate and up to date. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.

Why Might You Need to Obtain a Copy of Your Official Personnel Folder (OPF)?

The potential for your OPF to be inaccurate or outdated is one of several reasons why you might need to obtain a copy for yourself. If your OPF needs to be corrected or updated, this is an issue you will want to address promptly—and you may want to engage an experienced Rhode Island federal employment discrimination lawyer to help you. Other reasons why you might need to obtain a copy of your OPF include:

• To verify your federal employment when applying for a non-government job.
• To ensure that your OPF reflects all of your service that is creditable towards your federal retirement.
• To confirm your beneficiary designations for estate planning purposes.
• To assist with documenting a claim for discrimination or another violation of your rights as a federal employee.
• To dispute or defend against a disciplinary or adverse employment action based on alleged misconduct or poor performance.

These are just examples. Ultimately, you have the right to obtain a copy of your OPF for any reason—and, if you want a copy for any reason, you should not hesitate to request it.

How Do You Obtain a Copy of Your Official Personnel Folder (OPF)?

So, how do you request a copy of your OPF? If you still work for the federal government, you should be able to obtain your OPF from your department, office, or agency. You should also be able to obtain a copy from your department, office or agency if it has been less than 120 days since you left the federal government.

Otherwise, you will need to request a copy of your OPF from the National Archives. As the National Archives note, “[f]ederal law . . . requires that all requests for records and information be submitted in writing,” and current and former federal employees must hand sign and date their requests before mailing or faxing them to the National Archives’ National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).  

At a minimum, all OPF requests must include the following information:

• Full name used during federal employment
• Date of birth
• Social Security number (if you have one)
• Name and address of your employing federal agency (or agencies)
• Dates of federal service with each agency
• Your contact phone number
• Your return mailing address or fax number

The National Archives also instructs, “[i]f your request is urgent (for example, upcoming job posting, retirement, etc.) tell us the nature of the emergency and your deadline in your request for records,” and submit your request via fax. While the NPRC typically responds to OPF requests by mail or fax, it “can also email encrypted documents if the documents are needed urgently.”

You can also have a Rhode Island federal employment discrimination lawyer request a copy of your OPF for you. Your lawyer will need you to sign an authorization form, which will be valid for one year from the date of your signature.

What If There Are Issues with Your Official Personnel Folder (OPF)?

What if you obtain a copy of your OPF and discover that it is inaccurate or outdated? If you still work for the federal government, addressing the issue will generally involve working with your federal employer’s Human Resources Office. If you are no longer employed by the federal government, then you will need to contact the OPM. When contacting the OPM, you must: (i) identify the specific record at issue; (ii) explain why you believe the record is incorrect; (iii) provide supporting documentation (if applicable); and (iv) explain how you would correct the record.

However, “[i]f you disagree with the action that was taken rather than the way it was documented, then it’s not a case where the records are wrong.” Instead, you will need to take appropriate action to address the action at issue. What this entails will depend on the specific circumstances involved, and here, too, you will want to work with an experienced Rhode Island federal employment discrimination lawyer who can help you do what is necessary.

Request a Call with a Rhode Island Federal Employment Discrimination Lawyer at The Law Firm of J.W. Stafford

Do you need to know more about requesting (or correcting) your federal Official Personnel Folder (OPF)? If so, we can help, and we invite you to get in touch. To request a call with an experienced Rhode Island federal employment discrimination lawyer at The Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, please call 410-514-6099 or tell us how we can help online today.