Trump Administration Moves to Reclassify Policy-Making Federal Employees as 'At-Will'
President Trump announced a major shift in federal employment policy, reclassifying career government employees involved in policy matters as ‘at-will’ workers, subject to immediate dismissal if they fail to align with his agenda.
In a significant change to federal workforce dynamics, President Trump declared on Friday that career government employees working on policy issues will now be categorized under ‘Schedule Policy/Career’—a designation that effectively makes them ‘at-will’ employees. This policy, detailed in an executive order titled ‘Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce,’ aims to streamline the process of removing federal workers who do not adhere to the administration’s policies or engage in misconduct.
The move, which the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) estimates will affect around 50,000 employees or approximately 2% of the federal workforce, is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce government size and increase accountability. The reclassification means these employees can be fired without going through lengthy procedural hurdles, a change from previous regulations that offered protections to underperforming workers.
Trump emphasized the need for these changes on Truth Social, stating, ‘If these government workers refuse to advance the policy interests of the President, or are engaging in corrupt behavior, they should no longer have a job. This is common sense, and will allow the federal government to finally be ‘run like a business.’’ This executive order reflects the administration’s ongoing efforts to transform the federal government’s operational framework, aligning it more closely with business practices.
The White House has clarified that while these employees do not need to personally support the president, they are expected to faithfully implement the administration’s policies. This rule change, however, will not take effect until another executive order is issued, keeping the current status of affected employees unchanged for the time being.