Lawmakers Demand Answers on Schedule Policy/Career as Administration Weighs Converting More Positions

A group of Democratic lawmakers is demanding more information from President Trump on the 8,000 career federal employees classified into the new Schedule Policy/Career job category. This as the administration is reportedly mulling converting additional workers into Schedule Policy/Career, which removes traditional civil protections.

In a letter to the president, more than 50 Democrats from both houses asked the president to answer a series of questions, saying the administration has not been transparent about how many employees will ultimately be affected, how the employees were selected, and how the moves will impact the federal workforce. 

They say that while an appendix with agencies, position titles, and position codes was published, it lacked detail on the total number of positions affected, seniority levels of affected positions, and occupational series numbers. 

The lawmakers – led by Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) -- say the lack of detail is “leaving the public and Congress without a clear understanding of the exact extent to which the federal workforce is being politicized.”

The letter also questioned how some “apolitical” jobs like human resources or procurement positions ended up on the list. 

“All of this will greatly weaken the nonpartisan nature of the civil service,” added the letter.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) states that Schedule Policy/Career will improve employee accountability and ensure that the federal workforce is carrying out the president’s agenda. The agency insists it is not a politicization of the workforce.

“You can have any political views, but if you allow those views to basically interfere with your willingness to actually carry out lawful orders and policy directives with the administration, then this provides a mechanism for people in those agencies to be able to be removed effectively at-will,” said OPM Director Scott Kupor.

More Reclassifications Coming? 

Meanwhile, NOTUS reports that the administration is working with agencies to identify additional positions that may be converted into Schedule Policy/Career. 

OPM and federal agencies are reportedly using artificial intelligence to review job descriptions that may be reclassified, with an expanded list of positions expected by the end of September.

The idea that more positions could be converted was echoed by Director Kupor.

“The White House has said this should be kind of an ongoing process to figure out, you know, are there other jobs we didn’t get in the first go around that we should look at?” said Director Kupor to Bloomberg Law. “So we’re kind of figuring out what the right next step is there.”

Meanwhile, legal challenges to Schedule Policy/Career are pending.