President Trump signed an executive order shifting policies surrounding federal hiring in an effort to improve government efficiency.
“To protect and expand upon these historic improvements, and to ensure that the Federal Government is optimally staffed to meet critical mission needs and implement the agenda that the American people elected me to pursue, Federal hiring shall be subject to the following policies and procedures going forward,” the order says, listing policies such as merit hiring plan compliance and establishing strategic hiring committees.
The Strategic Hiring Committee will be tasked with approving all hiring decisions, ensuring that the hiring process “focuses on agency needs, the national interest, and Administration priorities,” a White House fact sheet explains.
Each agency will further adhere to an Annual Staffing Plan to “ensure that new career appointments are in the most mission-critical areas, aligned with Administration priorities, and implement the recruitment initiatives of the Administration’s previously issued Merit Hiring Plan.”
“This Order ensures that Presidential appointees maintain oversight of Federal hiring so that the Federal workforce remains focused on improving essential functions and is fully aligned with Administration priorities,” the White House said.
The fact sheet notes that the Trump administration has “dramatically” reduced the size of the federal workforce and “exceeded the targeted ratio of 4 departures for each new hire.”
President Trump’s reduction of the federal workforce during the government shutdown has been blocked by a federal judge.
U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued an emergency order to prevent the layoffs, arguing that the actions have a “human cost that cannot be tolerated.”
