Since the beginning of his second term, President Donald Trump has been actively working to significantly reduce the federal workforce. This rapid pace of change includes actions like dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development and offering a mass deferred resignation plan. Through executive orders and memos, Trump’s administration is focusing on reshaping the government’s size and the locations of its employees. Here is an overview of the federal workforce, its job protections, and the process of reducing its numbers.
**Size and Distribution of the Federal Workforce:** The civilian federal workforce, excluding military personnel and postal workers, consists of approximately 2.4 million individuals. While around 20% of federal employees are located in Washington, D.C., and nearby Maryland and Virginia, over 80% are spread throughout other regions.
**Civil Servants vs. Political Appointees:** Civil servants make up the majority of federal workers and undergo a standard application process. They have strong protections once employed. Political appointees, numbering around 4,000, serve at the president’s discretion and can be removed at any time.
**Challenges in Firing Federal Workers:** It is challenging to terminate most federal employees due to their significant job security and legal protections. These protections have evolved over time, transcending different political administrations. Federal workers are entitled to due process, allowing them to challenge disciplinary actions and present their side of the story.
**Historical Context of Federal Employee Protections:** The current system of federal employee protections originated from reforms to address the chaos of the 19th-century spoils system. This system led to inefficiency, corruption, and constant turnover. The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 established a merit-based hiring system, and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 further solidified protections for federal workers to promote stability and expertise continuity.
The evolution of federal employee protections underscores the importance of job security and merit-based hiring practices to attract and retain skilled individuals within the federal workforce.
“To promote the recruitment of high-quality individuals for government service, we offer a certain level of security,” stated David Super, a professor specializing in administrative law at Georgetown Law. Max Stier, the president and CEO of Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing government operations, noted that no other U.S. leader has pursued extensive and drastic cuts similar to those proposed by Trump. “What we are witnessing at present is unparalleled in our history,” Stier remarked.
Federal employees have union representation, although they are not permitted to strike, unlike workers in many other sectors. Additionally, federal employees lack the ability to negotiate their pay rates as salaries are established by law. However, federal unions are permitted to negotiate on matters related to working conditions and fundamental protections for their members. Recent negotiations have centered around remote working conditions, an area where unions have previously been successful but are now facing challenges due to Trump’s efforts to significantly curtail these rights. “There are certain limitations on what they can negotiate; for example, the agency’s policy cannot be negotiated,” Super explained. “This falls under the purview of the political process. However, they can negotiate for aspects that directly impact workers and their well-being.”
During a federal employee’s probationary period, which typically lasts between one to two years, the individual performs assigned duties under the supervision of an evaluator. This supervisor assesses whether the employee is effectively carrying out their responsibilities. If the employee fails to meet expectations, they may be dismissed; on the other hand, successful completion of the probation period results in the employee being hired full-time with accompanying protections. Employees under probationary status do not have the same appeal rights, making it a more streamlined process to terminate their employment. This information was supplemented by Associated Press writer Matthew Perrone.
