Federal Hiring Overhaul: DEI Out, Trump Loyalty Essay In
The Trump Administration announced a major overhaul in the way the federal government hires employees.
The new Merit Hiring Plan contains a number of provisions including a push to prioritize the hiring of “Patriotic” Americans who adhere to President Trump’s policies, the elimination of hiring based on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and a pledge to speed up hiring timetables.
“The American people deserve a Federal workforce dedicated to American values and efficient service,” wrote Office of Personnel Management (OPM) acting director Charles Ezell and Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy Vince Haley. “Yet, Federal hiring criteria long ago abandoned any serious need for technical skills and adherence to the Constitution.”
The plan was mandated by an executive order that President Trump signed his first day on the job.
Changes include a provision requiring candidates at the General Schedule 5 (GS-5) level and above to answer four essay questions on their commitment to the constitution and to President Trump’s agenda.
One example: “How would you help advance the president’s executive orders and policy priorities in this role?”
Agencies were also directed not to use statistics on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin or “the broader concept of ‘underrepresentation’” to hire or recruit, or to publish statistics on the makeup of their workforces.
“This plan ensures we hire based on talent, dedication, and constitutional principles, delivering a government that works effectively for all Americans,” said Acting Director Ezell and Assistant to the President Haley.
Hiring Timelines in Focus
Less controversial plans are aimed at speeding up hiring timelines as OPM directed agencies to hire in 80 days or less on average, down from the 101 day average in FY 2024.
To do this, OPM is limiting resumes to two pages or less and told agencies to expand their data analytics capabilities to ensure they are meeting hiring goals.
The new hiring plan also supports the “rule of many,” which lets hiring managers score and rank applicants for an open position from several different options.
And agencies are urged to repost USAJOBS announcements on third-party recruitment sites like LinkedIn and Indeed.
Agencies are also urged to work together to improve hiring for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) positions. That includes using pooled hiring, shared certificates, and holding interagency meetings on STEM recruitment.
