TL/DR –
Donald Trump signed an executive order creating Schedule G, a new classification of federal employees who could be hired and fired by the president and who work on policy decisions. These non-career classified employees will be expected to leave with changing presidential administrations, and the order claims it will streamline appointments for key policy roles. It has been noted that the new classification continues the Trump administration’s attempts to politicize the federal workforce, while the exact number of employees that will fall under this classification is not specified.
Trump’s Executive Order Creates a New Class of Federal Employees, Schedule G
An executive order signed by President Trump has established a new category of federal employees, dubbed ‘Schedule G,’ who would be hired and dismissed at the president’s discretion.
The appointed non-career figures would be expected to leave with the changing of presidential administrations. The order aims to enhance operations, specifically in the Department of Veterans Affairs, by streamlining appointments for vital policy roles.
The White House declared, “President Trump is fulfilling his pledge to dismantle the deep state and recover our government from Washington corruption.” However, the order did not mention the number of employees to be impacted by this classification.
The new classification resembles Schedule C, referring to short-term federal employees handling policy matters.
Don Moynihan, a public policy professor at the University of Michigan, responded to the order saying, “We already have Schedule F. Now Trump is announcing Schedule G, opening positions for Trump loyalists as policymakers – a continuing trend of politicization.”
Earlier this year, Trump rejuvenated Schedule F, an order which eliminates civil service protections for some federal employee classifications and makes them easier to dismiss.
Trump’s presidency has consistently strived to diminish civil service protections for federal employees, abolish collective bargaining rights, and facilitate the firing of federal employees without cause.
Max Stier, CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, expressed that the new classification is “another misguided attempt by the administration to further politicize the federal workforce,” and claimed it would make the civil service system more confusing.
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