Bill Overview
Title: PLUM Act of 2022
Description: of 2022 This bill replaces the congressional publication entitled United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions , commonly known as the PLUM Book , with an online public directory. The PLUM Book contains personnel information for federal civil service leadership and support positions in the legislative and executive branches that may be subject to noncompetitive appointment, including heads of agencies and policy executives. The book is used to identify presidentially appointed positions and is published every four years (after each presidential election) by certain congressional committees. The bill requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to publish the information contained in the PLUM Book on a public website in a format that is easily searchable and that otherwise meets certain data standards. Agencies must upload updated information to the website on an annual basis; OPM must verify the accuracy of the information within 90 days of establishing the website in coordination with the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. The bill terminates publication of the PLUM Book in its current form on January 1, 2026.
Sponsors: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]
Target Audience
Population: People engaged with U.S. Government employment and appointments data
Estimated Size: 30000
- The PLUM Book lists U.S. civil service leadership and support positions subject to noncompetitive appointment, including presidential appointments.
- The shift from a quadrennial publication to an online directory increases transparency and accessibility of this data.
- Federal civil servants and individuals interested in federal appointments will be the primary individuals engaged with this online resource.
- The change could also affect researchers, journalists, and any organization or individual tracking U.S. governmental positions.
Reasoning
- The PLUM Act primarily impacts individuals who are currently engaged in or interested in federal civil service leadership roles due to their need to access appointment information.
- People who rely on the PLUM Book, such as researchers, journalists, and government watchdog organizations, will experience the change directly through improved accessibility and timeliness of the data.
- The online directory will reduce the need for a physical book, potentially simplifying processes for government HR departments and improving the management of federal personnel data.
- The general public's engagement with the directory may not be high, but the availability of more transparent data might have an indirect impact by increasing trust in government transparency.
Simulated Interviews
Government Relations Specialist (Washington D.C.)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having easier access to appointment information will undoubtedly help our firm advise clients more efficiently.
- I expect to spend less time tracking down this information, which will make my job smoother.
- Concerns exist about the reliability of website updates, especially initially.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
IT Specialist at a Federal Agency (California)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Transitioning to an online directory will mean more work on the front end for IT departments, but it'll modernize our systems.
- Initial bugs and data inaccuracies may cause operational headaches, though I see long-term benefits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Investigative Journalist (New York)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The online directory will make it easier and faster to research appointments and positions, enhancing my work.
- However, reliability heavily depends on the update frequency and accuracy from the agencies involved.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Federal Employee (Kansas)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a federal employee, I'm more concerned about the internal impacts of the policy, such as accuracy and privacy of data.
- Overall, impacts on my daily life may be minimal.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
HR Specialist in a Federal Agency (Virginia)
Age: 40 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Implementation adds a new level of complexity in terms of data fidelity and updates.
- If executed well, this could streamline processes and reduce manual paperwork.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Political Analyst (Texas)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Open access will provide significant data for my analysis work, allowing for better insights.
- Dependability of information accuracy is critical and some skepticism exists regarding initial implementation phase.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired Federal Employee (Maryland)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I may not interact with it daily, I appreciate the shift to modern and transparent tools for current and future federal employees.
- It might help people earlier in their careers understand the landscape better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Graduate Student in Political Science (Illinois)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having online and up-to-date data will be extremely helpful for my studies and future career in academia.
- My concerns include potential access barriers if data standards aren’t user-friendly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Florida)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don’t think this policy will directly affect my business much, but it's good to see more transparency from the government.
- I'm hopeful that smoother processes for federal appointments might indirectly streamline contracting processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Data Scientist (Nevada)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I anticipate this will make aggregating data regarding federal positions easier and faster.
- The accuracy and format of this data will determine how useful it ultimately is for deeper analysis.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $8000000)
Year 2: $2500000 (Low: $1500000, High: $4000000)
Year 3: $2500000 (Low: $1500000, High: $4000000)
Year 5: $2500000 (Low: $1500000, High: $4000000)
Year 10: $2500000 (Low: $1500000, High: $4000000)
Year 100: $2500000 (Low: $1500000, High: $4000000)
Key Considerations
- There will need to be an initial investment in IT infrastructure to develop the online PLUM directory.
- Annual agency compliance costs must be examined, particularly for data accuracy and system compatibility across federal agencies.
- The termination of the quadrennial PLUM Book printing should consider all costs associated with paper publication to ascertain potential savings.