Latest news with #OfficeofPersonnelManagement
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
After DOGE firings White House asks new job seekers to write Trump loyalty essays, from lawyers to janitors
After a months-long freeze on hiring new federal employees and the Elon Musk-led DOGE cuts to the government workforce, the Trump administration is ready to resume civil service hiring — as long as the applicants answer a few essay questions about their level of loyalty to the president and his mission. The Office of Personnel Management last week quietly published a memorandum authored by Vince Haley, the White House's head of domestic policy that was addressed to the head or acting head of every agency across the entire executive branch. According to the White House's directive, a copy of which was reviewed by The Independent, anyone applying for a civil service position at entry level or above — including such jobs as nurses, janitors, economists and lawyers, among others — must respond to a series of essay questions before they can even be considered for an interview. The 'merit hiring plan' lays out in detail how to implement a January executive order signed by Trump to 'prioritize recruitment of individuals committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.' The plan also seeks to prevent anyone who is 'unwilling to defend the Constitution or to faithfully serve the Executive Branch' from being employed in the civil service. One question asks applicants about their 'commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States,' while another question asks applicants to state how they would 'help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities' and to 'identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives' that they find significant to them. They must also explain how they'd help implement these orders or initiatives. If applicants write answers that are satisfactory enough to land them an interview, the memorandum also states that they must participate in an 'executive interview' with a political appointee from 'agency leadership' who will evaluate their 'organizational fit and commitment to American ideals.' For civil service experts and good-government advocates, the new applicant screening process is setting off alarm bells. Adam Bonica, a Stanford University political scientist who publishes the 'On Data and Democracy' newsletter on Substack, wrote on Sunday that the White House's directive 'signals a profound departure from a cornerstone of American democracy: the non-partisan, merit-based civil service' and looks to implement Project 2025 efforts to deconstruct the nonpartisan civil service in favor of a return to the 'spoils system' that was in place until the late 1800s. 'A merit-based civil service that took generations to build is being dismantled via memo,' he charged. The new hiring guidelines aren't the only way Trump and his allies are upending the nonpartisan system that was set up to govern federal hiring in the wake of President James Garfield's 1881 assassination by a disgruntled office seeker. Shortly after he returned to power in January, Trump signed an executive order that ordered agencies to reclassify career employees who work on policy matters into a new 'schedule' that strips them of nearly all civil service protections. The directive largely re-implements an October 2020 order Trump signed to establish what was then called 'Schedule F' and was set to be comprised of any federal worker in 'confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating positions.' That broad category includes most of the government's non-partisan experts such as scientists, doctors, lawyers and economists, whose work to advise and inform policymakers is supposed to be done in a way that is fact-driven and devoid of politics. Combined with the more than 100,000 open positions created by the massive number of firings and resignations across the entire executive branch during Trump's first few months back in power, these new policies could allow the administration to recruit an equal number of MAGA devotees who would eventually acquire protection from removal by future administrations. Max Stier, president of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, told Axios on Monday that it looks like the administration is 'emptying the shelves of the existing nonpartisan expert civil servants' and 'restocking' those same shelves with 'loyalists.' Jeri Buchholz, a former head of HR at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, told the outlet that traditional federal hiring, by law, was meant to 'focus on the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the position.' She said the Trump White House's required questions are by contrast 'philosophical' and 'not even aptitude related,' making them difficult to square with the 'merit hiring plan,' especially since it purports to require agencies to speed up hiring decisions. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.
USA Today
2 days ago
- General
- USA Today
June 2025 holiday schedule: Summer solstice, Pride Month, Father's Day, Juneteenth, more
June 2025 holiday schedule: Summer solstice, Pride Month, Father's Day, Juneteenth, more Show Caption Hide Caption Pride flag raised in DC in honor of Pride month Officials, organizers and supporters gathered in front of the John A. Wilson building in Washington D.C. as the Pride flag was raised. June is officially here! The month will have a few summer celebrations, and luckily, a federal holiday! While there aren't as many holidays as there were in April or May, people can look forward to the official start to summer (summer solstice), Pride Month, Father's Day, and Juneteenth. Here's everything you need to know about what June has in store. Are there any federal holidays in June? Yes! Juneteenth National Independence Day is on Thursday, June 19, this year and is considered a federal holiday. In total, 2025 has 12 federal holidays across 11 days, according to the Office of Personnel Management. The next one, Independence Day, will fall on Friday, July 4. June 2025: What is Pride Month and why is it celebrated in June? Will banks be closed on Juneteenth? Juneteenth is considered a bank holiday, according to the Federal Reserve. The United States Postal Service, schools, and most banks, like Wells Fargo, Citibank, Bank of America, Truist, and others, will also be closed on June 19. When does Pride Month start? Pride Month is a month dedicated to celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer history. It starts on June 1 and ends on June 30. Cities and organizations across the United States have various themes for Pride Month. For example, NYC Pride has dubbed this year as 'Rise Up: Pride in Protest", Chicago has selected "United In Pride", and San Diego Pride's is "Unbreakabale Pride, Unshakeable Power". What religious holidays are in June? There are multiple religious holidays in June. The following are some of the holidays and traditional celebrations throughout the month, according to Diversity Resources, including: Shavuot - Evening of Sunday, June 1st to Tuesday, June 3rd - Evening of Sunday, June 1st to Tuesday, June 3rd The Hajj - Evening of Wednesday, June 4th to Monday, June 9th - Evening of Wednesday, June 4th to Monday, June 9th Eid-al-Adha - Evening of Friday, June 6th to Monday, June 9th - Evening of Friday, June 6th to Monday, June 9th Pentecost (also known as Whit Sundays) - Sunday, June 8th - Sunday, June 8th Feast of Corpus Christi- Thursday, June 19th Other significant dates Here are some more significant dates in June: African-American Music Appreciation Month - Sunday, June 1-Monday, June 30 - Sunday, June 1-Monday, June 30 D-Day- Friday, June 6 Friday, June 6 Flag Day - Saturday, June 14th - Saturday, June 14th Father's Day - Sunday, June 15th - Sunday, June 15th Summer solstice - Friday, June 20th - Friday, June 20th Stonewall Riots anniversary- Saturday, June 28th Unique days in June The following are some of the more unique and odd days celebrated throughout the month of June, according to the National Day Calendar: National Nail Polish Day - Sunday, June 1 - Sunday, June 1 National Egg Day - Tuesday, June 3 - Tuesday, June 3 National Cheese Day - Wednesday, June 4 - Wednesday, June 4 National Doughnut Day/National Donut Day - Friday, June 6 - Friday, June 6 National Best Friends Day - Sunday, June 8 - Sunday, June 8 National Ballpoint Pen Day- Tuesday, June 10 Tuesday, June 10 National Weed Your Garden Day- Friday, June 13 Friday, June 13 National Take Your Dog To Work Day - Friday, June 20 - Friday, June 20 National Selfie Day - Saturday, June 21 - Saturday, June 21 National Sunglasses Day- Friday, June 27 June calendar Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn,X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
The Hill
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Business leaders are reshaping Washington and delivering for taxpayers
President Trump's historic comeback victory included a mandate from the American people to reform the federal government. The inefficiencies of our broken bureaucracy are all too apparent to everyday Americans, and it was a big reason why they hired a new administration that specifically ran on fixing the system. Americans know the problems our government faces today are urgent and require immediate action. They have watched as the federal bureaucracy has exploded in size and as their tax dollars are wasted on frivolous spending. All of us realize that maintaining our current course is no longer sustainable. We are trillions of dollars in debt, and steadily approaching a point of no return. As Americans cut costs and work tirelessly to balance their own budgets after four years of economic uncertainty, they are now rightly demanding that the federal government do the same. But like the old cliche about the definition of insanity, there is no reason to think that the same processes and personnel who have spent decades in government bureaucracies will be able to reform themselves without some outside help. The status quo won't shake up the status quo. We need an infusion of new ideas, personnel and leadership in our capital city. Specifically, we need to lean on one of America's great strengths and resources: our incredibly successful, world-leading private sector. American businesses are second to none. We need to tap into the insights, methods and expertise of our business leaders and technical experts to turn the government around. Thankfully, President Trump and his administration are doing just that. A number of the president's cabinet secretaries are Washington outsiders who bring heavyweight private sector resumes to their new roles. The same goes for key subcabinet posts. For example, President Trump's nominee to run the federal Office of Personnel Management is a venture capitalist and tech executive with a quarter century of high-stakes business leadership under his belt. The most notable place where the president has brought in fresh energy and ideas from the private sector is the Department of Government Efficiency. Everybody knows about its leader, the hugely successful and outspoken entrepreneur Elon Musk. But a wealth of other top tech talent is working away behind the scenes, helping to find new efficiencies, examples of waste to cut and opportunities to update and upgrade how our government works. The team includes the sharp, young engineers who have attracted political and press attention, but it also includes veteran executives and marquee leaders who have answered the call to serve. Tom Krause, CEO of Cloud Software Group, is helping reform the Treasury Department's ancient payment processes. Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, is helping to digitize the tangled processes around federal retirements. All of us are lucky that such well-respected minds in business and management are helping refocus our government around stewarding funds wisely and getting results. This is a turnaround project like no other, and it needs all hands on deck. I had the privilege of serving on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee during my tenure representing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I saw firsthand the misuse of federal funds, the inefficiency of the bureaucracy and the blatant waste of taxpayer dollars. But making meaningful cuts in a smart, targeted way can be tricky business. We want to crack down on waste, fraud and overreach but preserve genuinely important programs that support hardworking families, encourage innovation in key fields like energy, national security and AI, and give taxpayers a strong return for their money. Separating the wheat from the chaff takes skilled analysis and strong, outcome-driven leadership. These are not virtues for which Washington is famous. Luckily, the business world has them in spades. Despite consternation from some in the media about bringing private-sector expertise into government, this is absolutely nothing new. High-profile businesspeople have served and advised presidential administrations of both parties, bringing their fresh perspectives to bear on problems that have stumped the permanent class inside Washington. President Obama brought General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt to lead an economic advisory board, along with entrusting the executive chairman of Alphabet, Eric Schmidt, to lead a major Pentagon innovation board. President Biden staffed his Council of Advisors on Science and Technology with a whole list of private sector leaders, including from tech giants Google, Microsoft and Nvidia. President Trump and DOGE are working to fix the broken systems our government relies on. They are absolutely right to call upon our country's deep well of human capital in the form of our top business leaders to do it. The American people have spoken, and they want significant and meaningful reform. A majority of Americans support DOGE's mission to increase accountability and enact long-lasting federal reforms. Already, thanks to DOGE's efforts, billions of dollars worth of savings have been found. But if we're actually going to redirect the slow-moving shipwreck of federal waste and budget deficits, these early efforts must only be the beginning. We need to keep drawing on outside perspectives and the business world's results-driven mindset to cut through the jungle of red tape and deliver meaningful results for Americans everywhere.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
US appeals court keeps block on Trump administration's federal workforce cuts
A US federal appeals court on Friday declined to freeze a lower court ruling that has temporarily halted the Trump administration's attempt to shrink the federal workforce. The decision ensures that the order issued by US District Judge Susan Illston remains in effect, pausing the cuts for now. President Donald Trump's administration had asked the court for an emergency stay of Judge Illston's injunction, which was issued in a lawsuit filed by labor unions and cities including San Francisco and Chicago. The case challenges the administration's move to significantly reduce federal staffing levels. The downsizing effort stems from an executive order signed by President Trump in February, followed by a directive from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The judge's order blocks federal agencies from implementing those directives. In her ruling, Judge Illston — appointed by former President Bill Clinton — made clear that while presidents have authority to direct agency reforms, major structural changes require legislative involvement and the cooperation of Congress. Government lawyers argued that the executive order and DOGE memo were meant to offer general guidance, not binding rules. But the court noted that these directives had already resulted in significant staff reductions and disruptions. Though the administration has not provided an exact figure, at least 75,000 federal employees have reportedly opted for deferred resignation under the new plan. Thousands more—particularly those in probationary roles—have already been terminated or placed on administrative leave. Trump's deferred resignation program: The administration offered federal employees in January, a buyout equal to eight months' salary to voluntarily resign by early February. It aimed to reduce the federal workforce and save up to $100 billion. Certain critical groups, including postal workers and military personnel, were excluded. Mass resignations from Elon Musk's Efficiency Department: Over 20 civil servants quit in mass from Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), protesting the use of their skills to dismantle public services and criticising the political agenda behind the downsizing. DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, was established by Trump to carry out what he has described as a voter-backed mandate to remake the federal government. Trump has repeatedly defended the initiative, saying it reflects the will of the American people. He appointed Musk earlier this year to lead DOGE, citing his reputation for streamlining operations and reducing inefficiencies. (With inputs from AP)
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Appeals court keeps block on Trump admin's downsizing of federal workforce
An appeals court on Friday refused to freeze a California judge's order halting the Trump administration from downsizing the federal workforce, which means that DOGE-led cuts remain on pause for now. The Republican administration had sought an emergency stay of an injunction issued by US Judge Susan Illston of San Francisco in a lawsuit brought by labour unions and cities, including San Francisco and Chicago. The judge's order questioned whether Trump's administration was acting lawfully in trying to pare the federal workforce. Trump has repeatedly said voters gave him a mandate to remake the federal government, and he tapped billionaire Elon Musk to lead the charge through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired, have left their jobs via deferred resignation programmes or have been placed on leave. There is no official figure for the job cuts, but at least 75,000 federal employees took deferred resignation, and thousands of probationary workers have already been let go. Illston's order directs numerous federal agencies to halt acting on the president's workforce executive order signed in February and a subsequent memo issued by DOGE and the Office of Personnel Management. Illston, who was nominated to the bench by former president Bill Clinton, a Democrat, wrote in her ruling that presidents can make large-scale overhauls of federal agencies, but only with the cooperation of Congress. Lawyers for the government say that the executive order and memo calling for large-scale personnel reductions and reorganization plans provided only general principles that agencies should follow in exercising their own decision-making process. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
