Unions rip Trump order making federal workers ‘at-will’ employees
President Donald Trump signed an executive order reclassifying about 8,000 senior federal positions into a new “Schedule Policy/Career” category, making it easier too remove selected high-level career employees and critics say this could undermine protections against political retaliation. The American Federation of Government Employees condemned the move, arguing it reduces due process rights and could discourage whistleblowers.
The White House, however, says the changes are meant to boost accountability for officials who shape and implement policy, with removals tied to performance, misconduct, corruption, or undermining presidential directives-while stating decisions won’t consider political affiliation and that the roles remain part of career civil service. The order effectively revives the idea of Trump’s earlier first-term “Schedule F” proposal, which was later rescinded, and follows Office of Personnel Management rules finalized earlier this year establishing Schedule P/C.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday making it easier to remove thousands of senior federal employees, prompting backlash from federal worker unions that accused the administration of attempting to politicize the civil service.
The order reclassifies roughly 8,000 federal positions into a new category known as “Schedule Policy/Career,” affecting employees with significant policymaking responsibilities across the federal government.
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The American Federation of Government Employees, the nation’s largest federal employee union, condemned the move, arguing it strips career workers of longstanding protections against political retaliation.
“This is a blatant attempt to corrupt the federal government by eliminating employees’ due process rights so they can be fired for political reasons,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement.
Kelley warned that the changes could discourage whistleblowers from reporting misconduct within federal agencies.
“The practical implications of this action are clear,” he said. “Workers who once felt comfortable reporting waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement at their place of employment because they were protected from retaliation will now be afraid for their jobs if they speak out. That is a disservice to them and to the millions of Americans who rely on the federal government every day.”
At the same time, White House maintained that the executive order is designed to increase accountability among senior officials responsible for shaping and implementing federal policy.
According to a White House fact sheet, employees in the new classification can be removed more easily for poor performance, misconduct, corruption, or the “subversion of presidential directives,” without the “lengthy procedural hurdles that often prevent accountability.” The administration said removal decisions will be made “without regard to political affiliation.”
The positions will remain career civil service jobs rather than political appointments, according to the White House. Officials said employees will continue to be hired through nonpartisan processes and retain protections such as veterans’ preference and competitive status.
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The administration said the policy primarily affects the highest-ranking career officials in government, with roughly 97% of affected employees holding GS-15 positions or equivalent, the highest federal pay level. Those jobs include senior advisers, directors, and deputy directors in policy offices, officials responsible for drafting regulations and guidance, and employees who make major grant and funding decisions.
The order revives the concept behind Trump’s first-term “Schedule F” initiative, which was rescinded by former President Joe Biden. Earlier this year, the Office of Personnel Management finalized regulations establishing the new Schedule P/C classification.
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