OPM is the federal government's central human-resources agency. It sets and oversees the rules for hiring, classifying, and managing the roughly two million civilian federal employees, and it administers their health insurance, retirement, and other benefits programs. It serves federal agencies and the career workforce across the executive branch rather than the general public.
Created by Congress under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (implemented via Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978) (5 U.S.C. ch. 11, §§ 1101-1105; Pub. L. 95-454), it acts within the authority that statute grants. Its actions are subject to judicial review and to congressional oversight and funding.
