The administration has finalized a new federal employment classification—“Schedule Policy/Career”—that could move about 50,000 positions out of the competitive service and into an excepted-service category with reduced civil service protections, according to FEDmanager.
- What changed: A finalized rule creates Schedule Policy/Career, a new hiring/position category that can be used to reclassify certain federal jobs, FEDmanager reported.
- Who could be affected: Roughly 50,000 federal positions could be shifted under the rule, FEDmanager said.
- Why it matters: The change could weaken merit-system safeguards and increase political influence over hiring and firing decisions, according to concerns cited by FEDmanager.
- Protections at risk: Employees moved into an excepted-service schedule may face reduced due process rights and less job security than competitive-service employees, FEDmanager reported.
- Agency role: The rule is tied to OPM rulemaking and federal position classification, per FEDmanager.
- Workforce impact: The rule is framed as affecting roles connected to “policy” and “career” functions, raising questions about how broadly agencies may interpret eligibility for reclassification, according to FEDmanager.
Brief context
Federal civil service rules generally distinguish between competitive service positions—typically filled through merit-based processes with established appeal rights—and excepted service positions, which can be subject to different hiring authorities and procedural protections. The new Schedule Policy/Career classification, as described by FEDmanager, would expand the government’s ability to place certain roles into an excepted-service framework.
The development is drawing scrutiny because shifting positions into an excepted-service schedule can change the practical balance between career civil service independence and political leadership control. FEDmanager reported that critics warn the rule could make it easier to remove or replace employees in covered roles, potentially affecting long-standing merit system principles intended to limit partisan influence in federal personnel actions.
For employees, the immediate question is whether your position—or your occupational series—could be designated under the new schedule. If agencies begin reclassifying roles, affected workers may need to review how the change could alter appeal options, disciplinary procedures, and employment continuity compared with competitive-service status. (For background on federal employment categories and common workforce terms, see FedBrief: https://fedbrief.org/)
Source: FEDmanager, “Administration finalizes Schedule Policy/Career rule, putting civil service protections at risk for 50,000 federal workers,” https://www.fedmanager.com/news/administration-finalizes-schedule-policy/career-rule-putting-civil-service-protections-at-risk-for-50000-federal-workers