OPM Finalizes Student Loan Regs

OPM has published several final regulations in the Federal Register, the most significant of which came out October 31 regarding the student loan reimbursement program. Those regs mainly clarify procedures for operating the program, but OPM used the opportunity to reject suggestions that agencies be allowed to use the payments–which can be up to $10,000 a year–to keep employees from being hired away by other agencies or to use them to lure employees from other agencies. OPM said it did not consider that an appropriate use of the payments; however, retention incentive payments can be used to keep an employee from being hired away by another agency.