In a significant shift regarding federal employment, former President Trump has announced the reinstatement of “Schedule F” aimed at altering job security for federal workers. As reported by AXIOS on April 19th, this initiative could see around 50,000 federal employees, constituting roughly 2% of the workforce, reclassified as “at-will” employees. This change permits the government to dismiss employees labeled as “disloyal” with greater ease, a stark contrast to the protections previously afforded under the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act.
The maneuver represents a departure from Biden’s previous abolition of the policy, with Trump executing the reinstatement via a swift executive order immediately upon his return to the White House. The urgency is underscored by a mandate from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which requires federal agencies to submit proposals for position restructuring by April 20th. Critics have vehemently expressed concerns, alleging that this action transforms the federal workforce into a “politically-purged” entity, thereby jeopardizing the integrity of the established civil service system.