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A Civil Response: Government Workers Prepare for Attempted Purges by the Trump Administration

By Kit Yona, M.A. | Last updated on

When a new administration takes over after a presidential election in the U.S., it's normal for people in certain jobs to be replaced with those who share the incoming president's visions. It's no surprise when positions such as Attorney General of the United States or Secretary of Defense change hands.

The rank-and-file government workers often experience less turnover. Employees who act as the cogs who keep the government machine functioning are rarely singled out for termination due to their personal political affiliation. However, the incoming Trump administration threatens to upset precedent through a massive purge of federal workers.

Can President Trump fire thousands of workers with a wave of his hand and replace them with people loyal to him? This may prove easier said than done. Federal workers have protections and vowed to fight to keep their jobs.

Deja Vu All Over Again

Reducing the number of federal workers has long been one of Trump's pet projects. He created the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to recommend deep cuts in government service. As only Congress can create departments in the executive branch, DOGE has no actual power and was challenged as a violation of federal law within hours of Trump being sworn in.

Trump's attempt to reshape the federal workforce began in his first term with his creation of Schedule F by an executive order issued in 2020. Under this fiat, thousands of government workers would be reassigned into a classification that removed their protections and made them easier to fire.

The Biden Administration revoked Schedule F during its first week in power. In April 2024, the rights of federal employees received additional shielding through a final rule issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This states that protections can't be stripped through an involuntary reclassification. The rule suggests that any sweeping measures the new administration wishes to impose will face a protracted legal battle.

Shields Raised

DOGE and the Trump Administration have boasted of implementing a 75% reduction in the federal workforce. This is despite the number of government employees having steadily declined over the past 75 years and being near historic lows.

Federal employees have protections that take many different forms. The Pendleton Act went into effect in 1883 to remove cronyism and stop administrations from using federal jobs as rewards for political supporters. Powerful unions, such as the American Federation of Government Employees, stand in the way of dismissals without cause.

Federal employees who consider themselves victims of an arbitrary or politically-motivated firing can file with the Merit Systems Protection Board. They can also lodge a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

There are also non-partisan nonprofit organizations dedicated to protecting government employees. Bipartisan groups such as Democracy Forward and the Government Accountability Project use lawsuits to support federal employees and hold the government responsible.

The Coming Storm

Trump's second term has begun like his first. He has issued several executive orders and other initiatives that will be met with resistance through lawsuits and legal challenges. While three-quarters of federal workers being fired seems unlikely, it's fair to believe that there will be a serious attempt to make significant changes to the federal workforce coming soon.

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