President Trump signed an executive order on June 3, 2026, reclassifying roughly 8,000 federal employees into a new at-will employment category called Schedule Policy/Career, stripping them of civil service protections that have safeguarded federal workers for decades.
Under the new classification, reclassified employees lose the right to appeal adverse personnel actions through the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), a key protection that previously required the government to justify terminations. Agencies no longer need to conduct lengthy performance improvement plans before firing workers or provide advance notice before termination, according to guidance the Office of Personnel Management released on June 8.
Civil service protections, established through the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, traditionally ensure federal employees face due process before dismissal and cannot be fired for political reasons. Due process protections generally mean employees receive written notice of proposed actions and a chance to respond, according to the Partnership for Public Service. The new at-will status means the government can terminate these employees for almost any reason without providing a reason.
The Trump administration has said the change will improve accountability and allow agencies to act more quickly on performance issues. “As long as employees are performing their job duties in a competent, professional manner,” a senior Trump administration official told reporters, “reclassified federal employees have nothing to be afraid of.” However, federal unions and civil service advocacy groups warn the change will chill whistleblowing and undermine the merit-based civil service system.
“The practical implications of this action are clear,” said Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees. “Workers who once felt comfortable reporting waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement at their place of employment because they were protected from retaliation will now be afraid for their jobs if they speak out.”
The Trump administration previously estimated that as many as 50,000 federal workers could lose job protections under this new policy, according to reporting from the New York Times. The initial reclassification affects roughly 2 percent of the federal workforce, though the administration has signaled its intent to expand the category.
Reclassified employees also lose eligibility for certain retention and recruitment incentives, student loan repayment programs, and Senior-Level employees lose eligibility for Presidential Rank Awards. However, OPM emphasized that pay, leave, and benefits do not change, and whistleblower protections and protections against prohibited personnel practices remain in place, though the procedures for accessing them have shifted.
Multiple organizations, including the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), are suing the Trump administration over the change. “This action will undermine the effectiveness of the civil service in carrying out government operations on behalf of the American people,” said William Shackelford, NARFE’s national president.
Sources
- Federal News Network — detailed OPM guidance on Schedule Policy/Career implementation, adverse actions, personnel changes, and union response
- NPR — confirmed the June 3, 2026 executive order affecting 8,000 federal workers
- The New York Times — reported the Trump administration’s estimate of up to 50,000 potential job losses
- GovExec.com — reported the reclassification and at-will employment status
- The Washington Post — confirmed details of job protections stripped from federal workers
- Partnership for Public Service — explained due process protections and at-will employment
- The White House — published the official executive order and fact sheet on Schedule Policy/Career
