What Happened to Trump's At-Will Federal Workers Policy (Schedule F / Schedule Policy/Career)?

Trump's At-Will Federal Workers Policy originated with Executive Order 13957, 'Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service,' issued on October 21, 2020, during his first administration. The order sought to reclassify federal employees in 'confidential, policy-determining, policymaking, or policy-advocating' positions into a new 'Schedule F' within the excepted service, thereby removing their civil service protections and making them at-will employees. Proponents argued this would increase accountability and flexibility for the executive branch in implementing its agenda, while critics viewed it as a means to politicize the federal workforce, retaliate against perceived disloyalty, and undermine the merit system.

Before Schedule F could be fully implemented, with only two agencies submitting lists for reclassification and no employees actually converted, President Joe Biden rescinded the order via Executive Order 14003 on January 22, 2021, just days into his term. This action temporarily restored traditional civil service protections and was widely praised by federal employee unions. However, discussions about reinstating a similar policy began to surface in mid-2022, becoming a key part of Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign platform.

In response to these plans, the Biden administration took preemptive action in April 2024, adopting a regulation aimed at strengthening civil service protections and making it more difficult for a future administration to implement a Schedule F-like policy. This rule, 'Upholding Civil Service Protections and Merit System Principles,' allowed employees to retain existing job protections even if their positions were reclassified, though it could be repealed by a future administration.

Upon taking office for his second term on January 20, 2025, President Trump immediately reinstated the policy through Executive Order 14171, renaming it 'Schedule Policy/Career' (Schedule P/C) and amending some provisions. This order directed the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to amend civil service regulations to facilitate the new classification. In February 2026, OPM finalized a rule, 'Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service,' formally establishing Schedule Policy/Career and outlining its implementation. This rule removed Schedule P/C employees from certain removal procedures and appeal rights.

The most recent development occurred on June 3, 2026, when President Trump signed an executive order formally transferring approximately 8,000 federal positions into the Schedule Policy/Career classification. These positions, primarily senior roles influencing policy, are now considered at-will, meaning employees can be fired without the extensive due process typically afforded to career civil servants. While the administration initially estimated up to 50,000 positions could be affected, the initial reclassification is smaller, though officials have not ruled out future expansion. Federal employee unions and advocacy groups, including AFGE, AFSCME, and NTEU, have filed and revived lawsuits challenging the legality and constitutionality of Schedule Policy/Career, arguing it violates federal law and threatens the non-partisan nature of the civil service.