Key facts
- President Trump signed an executive order creating Schedule P/C.
- Schedule P/C places certain career federal workers into positions that can be hired and removed similarly to political appointees.
- Employees in Schedule P/C positions will be exempt from adverse action procedures.
- Approximately 8,000 federal employees are expected to be affected.
- Federal employee unions criticized the move, citing concerns over due process and civil service protections.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing Schedule Policy/Career (Schedule P/C), a new employment classification designed to streamline the process of removing senior federal employees involved in policymaking. The administration argues this change is necessary to ensure government agencies are responsive to elected leadership and to address long-standing difficulties in removing employees for poor performance or misconduct. Employees placed in Schedule P/C positions will be exempt from standard adverse action procedures, making them 'at-will' employees. This policy is expected to affect approximately 8,000 federal workers, with about 97% holding GS-15 positions, the highest career level. The White House stated that these remain career positions and hiring/removal decisions will not be based on political affiliation. However, federal employee unions, such as the American Federation of Government Employees, have strongly criticized the order, calling it an attempt to corrupt the government by eliminating due process rights and weakening civil service protections. They argue this could make employees fearful of reporting wrongdoing. The policy revives the previous administration's Schedule F initiative and is currently facing multiple lawsuits from federal employee unions.