Latest news with #AutoRIF
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Exclusive-DOGE-led software revamp to speed US job cuts even as Musk steps back
By Alexandra Alper WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The federal human resources agency at the heart of billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to slash the federal workforce is poised to roll out software to speed layoffs across the U.S. government, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The software could turbo-charge the rapid-fire effort to downsize the government at a time when a number of larger federal agencies are preparing to execute plans for mass layoffs of tens of thousands of workers. Some 260,000 government workers already have accepted buyouts, early retirement or been laid off since Republican President Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January, according to a Reuters tally. The process has been far from smooth. Some workers were mistakenly fired and had to be rehired. The software is an updated version of a decades-old Pentagon program, known as AutoRIF, that had been little used in recent years. Under direction from Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), software developers at the U.S. Office Of Personnel Management (OPM) have created a more user-friendly web-based version over the past few months that provides targets for layoffs much more quickly than the current labor-intensive manual process, four sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The program is poised to be rolled out to the agencies by OPM just as Musk steps back from DOGE, which has driven the downsizing effort, to focus more on Tesla and his other companies. AutoRIF's name comes from "Reduction in Force," a term used to describe mass layoffs. The revamped version has been given the more benign-sounding name "Workforce Reshaping Tool," three sources said. With the software revamp now complete, OPM will lead demonstrations, user testing and start adding new users in the coming weeks, one of the sources said. DOGE, OPM, the White House, Pentagon and Musk did not respond to requests for comment. Wired magazine was first to report on the revamp effort. But Reuters is reporting for the first time on the completion of that revamp, the capabilities of the new program, rollout plans and its new name. JOB-CUTTING SCYTHE Trump established DOGE to modernize government software, cut spending and drastically reduce the size of the federal workforce, which he complains is bloated and wasteful. DOGE has said it has saved more than $160 billion through cuts to federal contracts and staff, but it has given few details publicly about what it is doing to modernize technology to make the government more efficient. The update of the Pentagon software, which DOGE has not publicly confirmed, is the only known example of that effort bearing fruit. Currently, most federal RIFs are done manually - with HR employees poring over spreadsheets containing data on employee seniority, veteran status and performance, three sources told Reuters. The new software is being rolled out just as larger agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs are set to move forward with plans to eliminate some 80,000 jobs. The Internal Revenue Service has said it wants to slash its payrolls by 40%, according to media reports. The tool will allow agencies "to remove a massive number of federal employees from their positions," if it works, said Nick Bednar, an associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota who has been tracking the government layoffs. "What DOGE has started is going to continue without Elon Musk," Bednar said. AutoRIF was developed by the Pentagon more than a quarter century ago. It pulled data from its HR system, sifted through firing rules quickly and produced names of employees eligible to be laid off. But it was difficult to migrate it to other agencies, whose workers had to manually input data on potential candidates for dismissal, a cumbersome process that is subject to errors. The program, described as "clunky" by a 2020 Pentagon HR newsletter, also would allow only one employee to work on a RIF, two sources said. The upgrade makes it web-based, easing employee access to the tool while enabling multiple people to work on a mass layoff, three sources said. It also allows for the upload of employee data for analysis, freeing HR workers from having to manually input personal records of possible targets for dismissal. While speed is a clear advantage, the software could pose other challenges, according to Don Moynihan, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy. "If you automate bad assumptions into a process, then the scale of the error becomes far greater than an individual could undertake," Moynihan said. "It won't necessarily help them to make better decisions and it won't make those decisions more popular," Moynihan added. Trump's drive to downsize and reshape the government already has led to the gutting of entire agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which seeks to protect Americans from financial abuses. The government overhaul has led to numerous lawsuits that seek to block the Trump administration from moving forward with some of the planned dismissals.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Is Donald Trump's government planning to raise retirement age? Here's the truth
Donald Trump administration proposed a multibillion-dollar overhaul of the US air traffic control system Thursday that includes six new air traffic control centers and technology and communications upgrades at all of the nation's air traffic facilities over the next three or four years. #Operation Sindoor India responds to Pak's ceasefire violation; All that happened India-Pakistan ceasefire reactions: Who said what Punjab's hopes for normalcy dimmed by fresh violations Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Sunday that he also plans to raise the mandatory retirement age for air traffic controllers from 56 to 61, as he tries to navigate a shortage of about 3,000 people in that specialised position, AP reported. He plans to give those air traffic controllers a 20 per cent upfront bonus to stay on the job. However, he says many air traffic controllers choose to retire after 25 years of service, which means many retire around the age of 50. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Website Builder — Create a Website in Minutes — Shopify Shopify Get Offer Undo "These are not overnight fixes," Duffy said. "But as we go up - one, two years, older guys on the job, younger guys coming in, men and women - we can make up that 3,000-person difference." Earlier, Reuters reported the federal human resources agency at the heart of billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to slash the federal workforce is poised to roll out software to speed layoffs across the U.S. government. Live Events The software could turbo-charge the rapid-fire effort to downsize the government at a time when a number of larger federal agencies are preparing to execute plans for mass layoffs of tens of thousands of workers. Some 260,000 government workers already have accepted buyouts, early retirement or been laid off since Republican President Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January, according to a Reuters tally. The process has been far from smooth. Some workers were mistakenly fired and had to be rehired. The software is an updated version of a decades-old Pentagon program, known as AutoRIF, that had been little used in recent years. Under direction from Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), software developers at the U.S. Office Of Personnel Management (OPM) have created a more user-friendly web-based version over the past few months that provides targets for layoffs much more quickly than the current labor-intensive manual process, four sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The program is poised to be rolled out to the agencies by OPM just as Musk steps back from DOGE, which has driven the downsizing effort, to focus more on Tesla and his other companies. FAQs Q1. What is full form of DOGE? A1. The full form of DOGE is Department of Government Efficiency. Q2. Who is heading DOGE? A2. Elon Musk is heading Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Newsweek
09-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
DOGE Could Speed Up Layoffs: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A sweeping automation initiative backed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may soon accelerate the pace of job cuts across U.S. federal agencies, according to Reuters on Thursday. Newsweek reached out to DOGE via its X, formerly Twitter, account on Friday for comment. The rollout of a revamped software tool to identify redundant positions is moving ahead amid Elon Musk's apparent step back from his day-to-day role in DOGE, citing a need to refocus on Tesla and his private ventures. DOGE, created in January by executive order from President Donald Trump, is not a formal Cabinet-level department but an advisory body. It was launched with a broad mandate to cut federal spending, shutter agencies, and streamline the government workforce by July 2026. Musk, appointed as an unpaid special government employee, initially played a hands-on role directing strategy and technology priorities. In April, he said his weekly commitment to DOGE would drop to one or two days from May. One of DOGE's more prominent current efforts is the development and deployment of AutoRIF, an automation tool that replaces manual review processes in government layoffs. Why It Matters Labor leaders and watchdog organizations have raised alarms about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in employment decisions, warning that systems like AutoRIF could violate civil service laws and eliminate due process protections. DOGE has faced multiple lawsuits and at least one federal court order blocking access to personal data used in its reviews. Transparency remains a central point of contention. While DOGE has claimed to save $160 billion, an April analysis by the BBC found that only $61.5 billion was itemized, and just $32.5 billion could be traced to verifiable actions. Despite strong Republican support for DOGE's cost-cutting efforts, Musk's personal popularity remains mixed. Polling from Pew Research in February found that 54 percent of Americans viewed the billionaire unfavorably. What Is AutoRIF? AutoRIF is a software platform redeveloped by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under DOGE's direction. Its name comes from "Reduction in Force," a term used to describe mass layoffs. The new version builds on a little-used Pentagon tool, updating it into a web-based system capable of identifying positions for elimination without requiring oversight such as manager input or performance reviews, according to Reuters. DOGE has not publicly confirmed specific timelines, but internal sources told Reuters the rollout of new users would begin in the coming weeks. How Many Jobs Has DOGE Cut So Far? While it remains unclear whether any job cuts have yet been directly triggered by AutoRIF, DOGE's broader mandate has already produced massive reductions. According to a report cited by The Hill last week, 283,172 job cuts have been attributed to "DOGE Actions" in the first four months of 2025. Another 6,945 jobs were lost through "DOGE Downstream Impact"—indirect effects on nonprofits and educational organizations. Together, these DOGE-related actions account for nearly half of all U.S. job cuts recorded during that period. The single largest wave occurred in March, with more than 216,000 federal layoffs announced. In parallel, individual agencies are also planning deep cuts. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is set to cut up to 80,000 positions. Elon Musk listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30 in Washington, D.C. Elon Musk listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30 in Washington, D.C. Evan Vucci/AP Photo What People Are Saying Nick Bednar, an associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota who has been observing the government layoffs, told Reuters that the tool will allow agencies "to remove a massive number of federal employees from their positions" if it functions. Elon Musk, in a February appearance at the White House, defended DOGE's mission, saying it reflected the public's call for reform, while denying he was leading a "hostile takeover" of the government, as claimed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat. What Happens Next? Despite Musk's scaled-back presence, DOGE's mission continues—and its reach is likely to grow as agencies implement the automation infrastructure he helped put in place. Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have recently shown increased scrutiny of DOGE's activities. Senator Gary Peters, ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and a Michigan Democrat, has sent letters to federal agencies requesting details about DOGE's access to internal IT systems and data repositories. In a separate action, Peters and several Senate colleagues in February called for an immediate pause on DOGE's operations in federal agencies, citing concerns over legality, transparency, and potential misuse of authority.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
DOGE working on updated version of decades-old Pentagon software that may accelerate Federal job cuts, claims report
The US government is reportedly preparing to deploy new software, developed under Elon Musk's DOGE initiative, that could significantly accelerate mass layoffs across federal agencies. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to a report by Reuters, The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk has completed an updated version of decades-old Pentagon software, designed to streamline mass layoffs across federal agencies. The updated toll called Workforce Reshaping toll is said to accelerate the job cuts. Originally called AutoRIF (Reduction in Force), the software was created 25 years ago by the Pentagon. However, as per the Reuters report, under DOGE's directive, the developers at the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have transformed it into a web-based system. This will now enable the agencies to recognise the target and speed up the manual process of layoffs. Since January 2025, approximately 260,000 federal employees have either accepted buyouts, taken early retirement, or been laid off. The Department of Veterans Affairs is preparing to cut 80,000 jobs, while the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) plans to reduce its workforce by 40%. The report also mentions that despite Elon Musk's recent decision to step back from DOGE to focus on Tesla and his other ventures, the software rollout is proceeding under OPM's leadership. The agency will soon begin demonstrations, user testing, and onboarding for federal departments. However, the legal experts have warned that the automated system could lead to widespread dismissals, potentially removing thousands of federal employees with minimal oversight. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Don Moynihan, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy told Reuters, "If you automate bad assumptions into a process, then the scale of the error becomes far greater than an individual could undertake. It won't necessarily help them to make better decisions and it won't make those decisions more popular.'
Economic Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
DOGE-led software revamp to speed US job cuts even as Elon Musk steps back
The federal human resources agency at the heart of billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to slash the federal workforce is poised to roll out software to speed layoffs across the U.S. government, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The software could turbo-charge the rapid-fire effort to downsize the government at a time when a number of larger federal agencies are preparing to execute plans for mass layoffs of tens of thousands of workers. Some 260,000 government workers already have accepted buyouts, early retirement or been laid off since Republican President Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January, according to a Reuters tally. The process has been far from smooth. Some workers were mistakenly fired and had to be rehired. The software is an updated version of a decades-old Pentagon program, known as AutoRIF, that had been little used in recent years. Under direction from Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), software developers at the U.S. Office Of Personnel Management (OPM) have created a more user-friendly web-based version over the past few months that provides targets for layoffs much more quickly than the current labour-intensive manual process, four sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The program is poised to be rolled out to the agencies by OPM just as Musk steps back from DOGE, which has driven the downsizing effort, to focus more on Tesla and his other companies. AutoRIF's name comes from "Reduction in Force," a term used to describe mass layoffs. The revamped version has been given the more benign-sounding name "Workforce Reshaping Tool," three sources said. With the software revamp now complete, OPM will lead demonstrations, user testing and start adding new users in the coming weeks, one of the sources said. DOGE, OPM, the White House, Pentagon and Musk did not respond to requests for comment. Wired magazine was first to report on the revamp effort. But Reuters is reporting for the first time on the completion of that revamp, the capabilities of the new program, rollout plans and its new name. Job-cutting Scythe Trump established DOGE to modernize government software, cut spending and drastically reduce the size of the federal workforce, which he complains is bloated and wasteful. DOGE has said it has saved more than $160 billion through cuts to federal contracts and staff, but it has given few details publicly about what it is doing to modernize technology to make the government more efficient. The update of the Pentagon software, which DOGE has not publicly confirmed, is the only known example of that effort bearing fruit. Currently, most federal RIFs are done manually - with HR employees poring over spreadsheets containing data on employee seniority, veteran status and performance, three sources told Reuters. The new software is being rolled out just as larger agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs are set to move forward with plans to eliminate some 80,000 jobs. The Internal Revenue Service has said it wants to slash its payrolls by 40%, according to media reports. The tool will allow agencies "to remove a massive number of federal employees from their positions," if it works, said Nick Bednar, an associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota who has been tracking the government layoffs. "What DOGE has started is going to continue without Elon Musk," Bednar said. AutoRIF was developed by the Pentagon more than a quarter century ago. It pulled data from its HR system, sifted through firing rules quickly and produced names of employees eligible to be laid off. But it was difficult to migrate it to other agencies, whose workers had to manually input data on potential candidates for dismissal, a cumbersome process that is subject to errors. The program, described as "clunky" by a 2020 Pentagon HR newsletter, also would allow only one employee to work on a RIF, two sources said. The upgrade makes it web-based, easing employee access to the tool while enabling multiple people to work on a mass layoff, three sources said. It also allows for the upload of employee data for analysis, freeing HR workers from having to manually input personal records of possible targets for dismissal. While speed is a clear advantage, the software could pose other challenges, according to Don Moynihan, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy. "If you automate bad assumptions into a process, then the scale of the error becomes far greater than an individual could undertake," Moynihan said. "It won't necessarily help them to make better decisions and it won't make those decisions more popular," Moynihan added. Trump's drive to downsize and reshape the government already has led to the gutting of entire agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which seeks to protect Americans from financial abuses. The government overhaul has led to numerous lawsuits that seek to block the Trump administration from moving forward with some of the planned dismissals.
