Trump Signs Order Stripping Civil Service Protections from Thousands of Federal Workers
On June 3, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order reclassifying approximately 8,000–10,000 senior federal employees (mostly GS-15s and policy leaders) into a new at-will category called Schedule Policy/Career, reviving the former Schedule F. The order removes civil service protections, including Merit Systems Protection Board appeals and independent whistleblower investigations. Critics warn it politicizes the bureaucracy and deters whistleblowing. Federal employee unions have filed multiple lawsuits. The move is part of broader workforce cuts under Trump’s second term.
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Trump Executive Order Strips 8,000 Federal Workers of Civil Service Protections
President Trump signed an executive order on June 7, 2026, reclassifying approximately 8,000 federal employees into a new excepted service category called Schedule Policy/Career, effectively making them at-will employees without most civil service protections. Agencies have until June 10 to identify and reclassify affected positions, which are listed in a 200-page appendix. The order also shifts whistleblower complaints from the Office of Special Counsel to internal agency general counsel review. Federal employee unions, including the National Treasury Employees Union, have filed lawsuits to block the policy, calling it an attack on worker rights. A Defense Department employee noted that many affected supervisors have no policy-making authority. The State Department confirmed 100 positions were converted. Advocacy group Protect Democracy is soliciting information from affected employees to assess the order's true scope.
Defense One - All ContentTrump Executive Order Strips 8,000 Federal Workers of Civil Service Protections
President Trump signed an executive order on June 7, 2026, reclassifying approximately 8,000 federal employees into a new excepted service category called Schedule Policy/Career, effectively making them at-will employees with reduced civil service protections. Agencies have until June 10 to identify and reclassify affected workers, who are mostly GS-15 or Senior Leader pay grades. The order also shifts whistleblower complaint handling from the Office of Special Counsel to agency general counsel. Federal employee unions, including the National Treasury Employees Union, have filed lawsuits to block the policy, which they argue illegally strips workers of congressionally granted rights. A 200-page appendix lists specific positions, but the exact number of impacted employees remains unclear. The State Department confirmed 100 positions were affected. Critics, including a Defense Department employee, argue many reclassified supervisors have no policy-making authority.
Defense One - All ContentTrump's executive order strips 8,000 federal workers of civil service protections
President Trump signed an executive order implementing Schedule Policy/Career, a new excepted service category that strips approximately 8,000 federal employees in policy-related roles of their civil service protections, making them at-will employees. Agencies have until June 10 to reclassify workers, who will lose Title 5 removal protections and the right to appeal adverse actions. Whistleblower complaints will be handled internally by agency general counsel rather than the Office of Special Counsel. A 200-page appendix lists positions by agency, though the exact number of affected employees remains unclear. Federal employee unions, including NTEU, have filed lawsuits challenging the policy and vowed to resume litigation. Critics argue many affected supervisors have no policy-making authority. The State Department confirmed 100 positions were converted.
Government Executive - All ContentTrump Signs Executive Order Making It Easier to Fire Thousands of Senior Federal Employees
President Trump signed an executive order on June 3, 2026, reclassifying nearly 8,000 senior federal employees in policy-related positions as at-will workers, allowing them to be fired without stated cause. The order targets GS-15 level roles including directors, deputy directors, chiefs of staff, senior advisers, policy analysts, grant overseers, and public affairs leaders, with salaries up to $200,000 annually. White House Domestic Policy Council official James Sherk defended the move as a way to quickly remove underperforming staff. The order follows an Office of Personnel Management rule change from March 2026 and is part of broader workforce reductions under Trump's second term, including Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency initiative, which has already cut over 300,000 federal jobs. The American Federation of Government Employees president Everett Kelley criticized the order, warning it will deter whistleblowers from reporting waste, fraud, and abuse due to fear of retaliation.
The New RepublicTrump Executive Order Makes It Easier to Fire Thousands of Senior Federal Employees
President Trump signed an executive order on June 3, 2026, reclassifying nearly 8,000 senior federal workers in policy-related positions as at-will employees, allowing their dismissal without stated cause. The order targets GS-15 level roles including directors, deputy directors, chiefs of staff, senior advisers, policy analysts, grant overseers, and public affairs leaders, with salaries up to $200,000 annually. White House Domestic Policy Council official James Sherk argued the change enables quicker removal of underperforming staff. The order follows an Office of Personnel Management rule change from March 2026 and builds on broader workforce reductions in Trump's second term, including over 300,000 job losses attributed to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency initiative. The administration projects an additional 50,000 federal employees may be pushed out. American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley criticized the order, warning it will deter federal workers from reporting waste, fraud, and abuse due to fear of retaliation.
The New RepublicTrump Executive Order Makes It Easier to Fire Thousands of Senior Federal Employees
President Trump signed an executive order on June 3, 2026, reclassifying approximately 8,000 senior federal workers in policy-related positions as at-will employees, allowing them to be fired without stated cause. The order targets GS-15 level positions including directors, chiefs of staff, and policy analysts, removing appeals process protections. This is part of a broader effort in Trump's second term that has already seen over 300,000 federal employees lose their jobs, with projections of an additional 50,000 departures. The White House argues the change allows quicker removal of underperforming staff, while union leaders warn it will deter whistleblowers from reporting waste, fraud, and abuse due to fear of retaliation.
The New RepublicTrump Signs Executive Order Reclassifying Federal Policy Workers as At-Will Employees
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reclassify approximately 8,000 federal workers in policy roles into a new category called Schedule Policy/Career (P/C), making them 'at-will' employees and easier to fire. The order revives a previous effort from the first Trump administration, originally known as Schedule F. Critics argue the move effectively turns career civil servants into political appointees, stripping them of job protections and potentially politicizing the federal workforce. The executive order is part of Trump's broader push to reshape the federal bureaucracy.
Just In NewsTrump Strips Civil-Service Protections from Thousands of Federal Workers
President Trump signed an executive order on June 3, 2026, converting approximately 8,000 senior career federal employees into at-will workers by placing them in a new job category called Schedule Policy/Career, formerly known as Schedule F. The affected positions, mostly GS-15s and senior leaders, include roles at the Departments of Defense, State, and Homeland Security. These employees lose the right to challenge adverse actions before the Merit Systems Protection Board, and whistleblower complaints will be handled internally. The order fulfills a long-standing Trump administration goal to make it easier to fire policy-related federal workers. Federal employee unions have filed multiple lawsuits alleging violations of the Constitution and civil service laws. The Office of Personnel Management chief defended the move, stating it does not impose political loyalty tests, though critics warn it could reduce productivity and increase favoritism.
Defense One - All ContentTrump Signs Order Converting Thousands of Federal Employees to At-Will Schedule F
President Trump signed an executive order on June 3, 2026, formally converting nearly 10,000 career federal employees into a new job category called Schedule Policy/Career (formerly Schedule F), stripping them of civil service protections and making them at-will employees. The order targets approximately 8,000 senior-level career policy officials, mostly GS-15s and senior leaders, including agency division heads, CIOs, regional officers, program managers, and attorneys involved in policy-making. Affected employees lose the ability to challenge adverse actions before the Merit Systems Protection Board, and whistleblower complaints will be handled by their own agency rather than the Office of Special Counsel. The administration argues the change ensures employees are willing to carry out lawful directives without political litmus tests. The policy, first proposed in 2020, remains subject to multiple lawsuits from federal employee unions alleging violations of the Constitution and civil service laws.
Government Executive - All ContentTrump signs order moving thousands of federal employees into Schedule F
President Trump signed an executive order on June 3, 2026, converting approximately 8,000 senior career federal employees into a new at-will employment category called Schedule Policy/Career (formerly Schedule F). The order strips these employees of civil service protections, including the ability to challenge adverse actions before the Merit Systems Protection Board, and shifts whistleblower complaint investigations to their own agencies. The administration targeted GS-15s and senior leaders, including agency division heads, CIOs, program managers, and policy attorneys. The policy, first proposed in 2020, was revived after OPM finalized new regulations in March 2026. Federal employee unions have filed multiple lawsuits alleging violations of the Constitution and the Civil Service Reform Act. Administration officials denied the measure would create a spoils system, stating there would be no political loyalty tests.
Government Executive - All ContentTrump signs order moving thousands of federal employees into Schedule F
President Trump signed an executive order on June 3, 2026, converting approximately 8,000 senior career federal employees into a new at-will employment category called Schedule Policy/Career (formerly Schedule F). The order strips these workers of civil service protections, including the ability to challenge adverse actions before the Merit Systems Protection Board, and shifts whistleblower complaint investigations to their own agencies. The administration targeted GS-15s and senior leaders, including agency division heads, CIOs, regional officers, program managers, and policy attorneys. The policy, first proposed in 2020, was rescinded by Biden but revived through new OPM regulations effective March 2026. Federal employee unions have filed multiple lawsuits alleging constitutional and statutory violations. The administration claims there will be no political loyalty tests, though OPM previously introduced politicized essay questions in federal hiring.
Government Executive - All ContentTrump Strips Civil-Service Protections from Thousands of Federal Workers
On June 3, 2026, President Trump ordered approximately 8,000 senior career federal employees to be converted from competitive service to at-will employment under a new category called Schedule Policy/Career, formerly known as Schedule F. The affected workers, mostly GS-15s and senior leaders, include agency heads, CIOs, regional officers, program managers, and policy attorneys at the Departments of Defense, State, and Homeland Security. They lose the right to challenge adverse actions before the Merit Systems Protection Board, and whistleblower complaints will be handled internally. The policy, first proposed in 2020 and rescinded by Biden, was revived after Trump's second term. Federal employee unions have filed multiple lawsuits alleging constitutional and procedural violations. OPM chief Scott Kupor denied the measure would create a spoils system, stating no political litmus tests would be applied, though critics warn of reduced productivity and increased favoritism.
Defense One - All Content