OPM Establishes Safeguards Against Schedule F

Federal Employee Appeal Rights Expanded
NTEU has been working to protect employees if a future president attempts to move their positions to a new category—something commonly referred to as Schedule F—with the goal of making them easier to fire.

The Office of Personnel Management has now finalized new regulations—proposed by NTEU—that establishes a process that must be followed before any federal positions are converted into essentially at-will jobs, such as reviews by the agency’s officials and notice to affected employees. Employees also will have the opportunity to appeal being shifted into a Schedule F.

MSPB Expands Employee Rights
NTEU supported a proposed regulation that would allow employees to file a challenge with the Merit Systems Protection Board if they are involuntarily moved to a future Schedule F. The Board has now finalized that regulation, which it broadened at NTEU’s suggestion.

Congress Can Also Help Employees
NTEU endorses the Saving Civil Service Act in the House (HR 1002) and the Senate (S 399), which would limit a future Schedule F by capping the number of employees who could be moved and requiring an employee’s consent.

Further Efforts
NTEU has asked many of the agencies where we represent employees to put prohibited personnel practice protections in place for any possible Schedule F employees. Without them, employees in a potential Schedule F are not covered by the law protecting federal workers from most “prohibited personnel practices” such as political coercion, nepotism, or a supervisor granting someone else an unlawful preference. Agencies should lock in these protections.

Schedule F in the News

How Far Trump Would Go (TIME)

What Trump’s war on the ‘Deep State’ could mean: ‘An army of suck-ups’ (CNN)

Biden administration locks in plans aiming to block Schedule F for good (Federal News Network)

Biden moves to defang political assaults on federal workforce (Politico)

Biden finalizes rule to prevent return of Schedule F (Federal Times)

New rule strengthening federal job protections could counter Trump promises to remake the government (AP)

Trump’s plan to gut civil service protections was harsher than estimated (Washington Post)

Schedule F plans show ‘far higher’ impact on federal workforce than first anticipated, NTEU warns (Federal News Network)

Conservative groups draw up plan to dismantle the US government and replace it with Trump’s vision (Associated Press)

The fight to stop a cornerstone of Trump's 'retribution' agenda is underway (NBC News)

The Open Plot to Dismantle the Federal Government (The Atlantic)

Biden Administration Aims to Trump-Proof the Federal Work Force (The New York Times)

Trump plan to gut civil service triggers pushback (Reuters)

Biden administration proposes new rule that would limit Trump purge (Washington Post)

Federal labor coalition urges ‘prompt’ finalization of OPM’s anti-Schedule F proposal (Federal News Network)

Democrats rally behind rule to prevent return of Trump’s Schedule F (Federal Times)

Regulations aimed at derailing a Schedule F revival proposed by OPM (Government Executive)

Union coalition throws support behind OPM’s anti-Schedule F rules (Government Executive)

Federal employees want you to keep your politics out of their work (The Hill)