Government agencies are in upheaval due to a top-secret investigation. President Donald Trump’s administration has issued orders to all federal departments and agencies to compile lists of employees who are deemed underperforming. This initiative aims to reduce the workforce and is pending a court ruling related to deferred resignation offers. A memorandum sent by the Office of Personnel Management on Thursday instructs agencies to provide the names of every employee who has received a performance rating below “fully successful” within the past three years. It also requires agencies to specify if these employees have been placed on performance improvement plans. The memorandum, obtained by The Associated Press, stresses the importance of agencies identifying any challenges they face in swiftly terminating poorly performing employees who show no signs of improvement.
The directive requests information such as the employee’s name, job title, pay plan, and other pertinent details. It also seeks to know if the employee has been under or successfully completed a performance improvement plan in the last 12 months. Furthermore, agencies are asked to report on any proposed or issued decisions in such cases and whether any actions are under appeal or challenge, along with the outcome. The deadline for this data submission is set for March 7.
Charles Ezell, the acting director of OPM who issued the memorandum, mentioned that the office is in the process of developing new performance metrics to evaluate the federal workforce. These metrics are intended to align with the priorities and standards outlined in the recent Executive Orders issued by the President. To facilitate this process, Ezell directed all agencies to provide information on their performance management plans and policies, including those outlined in collective bargaining agreements.
According to an unnamed White House official, approximately 65,000 federal workers have chosen to participate in the deferred resignation program. This program is facing legal challenges, with a federal judge slated to hold a hearing on Monday afternoon to consider arguments regarding the program’s viability.
___Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
