Updates to VA's Performance Management Systems Handbook

On October 3 and 27, 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) revised various sections of its Performance Management handbook (VA Doc. 5013). VA's stated purpose was to conform its policies to the administration's executive branch-wide mandates. One significant change emphasized the option managers have to treat performance issues as misconduct problems (under 5 U.S.C. chapter 75) instead of as performance problems (under 5 U.S.C. chapter 43), which would eliminate the need for a performance improvement period before terminating employees but would increase the government's burden of proof in any terminated employee's appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Another change shortened the minimum period before VA can issue an employee a performance appraisal. For the special category of VA medical professionals (employed under U.S.C. Title 38 instead of U.S.C. Title 5), the changes included the addition of new performance elements in proficiency ratings for "non-supervisory managers and leaders," which VA described as follows: "Rating officials of employees covered by this appendix will determine the job expectations of these positions and develop a minimum of one additional performance expectations based on work assignments and responsibilities related to their position that are sufficiently important to warrant assessment and inclusion on the applicable proficiency report form." Changes also included new procedures for rating employees who are detailed, transferred, temporarily promoted, or otherwise moved out of their positions of record temporarily or permanently.