Trump Administration to Reclassify Thousands of Federal Workers Under At-Will Employment Directive
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House announced a sweeping policy change on Monday that will reclassify thousands of federal employees as at-will workers, effectively stripping them of longstanding job protections. The directive, issued by President Donald Trump's Office of Personnel Management, targets career civil servants in agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency.
According to an executive order signed by the president, the reclassification applies to positions traditionally shielded by Title 5 of the U.S. Code, which governs hiring and firing procedures for most federal personnel. Officials stated that the move aims to enhance accountability and streamline government operations, citing inefficiencies in performance management. Effective immediately, affected employees can be terminated without cause, bypassing standard grievance and appeals processes.
The policy shift has triggered immediate legal challenges from federal employee unions, which plan to file injunctions this week, alleging violations of statutory tenure rights. Critics argue that the change politicizes the civil service, while administration spokespersons defend it as necessary for presidential oversight. A spokesperson for the White House noted that full implementation will occur over the next 90 days, with a phased notification process for impacted workers.