The Trump administration has finalized a rule that could allow agencies to reclassify more than 50,000 federal employees into a new category with fewer competitive service protections, according to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). NARFE says the change would make it easier to remove long-standing merit system safeguards and could increase the risk of politically motivated personnel actions.
- What changed: A final rule issued by the Trump administration creates a pathway to reclassify certain positions, potentially affecting 50,000+ federal employees, NARFE said.
- Why it matters: NARFE warned the change could weaken competitive service due process protections and make it easier to take adverse actions without traditional merit-based safeguards.
- Who could be affected: Employees whose jobs are deemed to involve policy-related work could be targeted for reclassification, NARFE said, potentially shifting roles out of the competitive service framework.
- NARFE’s response: NARFE is urging Congress to pass the Saving the Civil Service Act, which it says would block or limit reclassification efforts that reduce civil service protections.
- Big picture: The move aligns with broader efforts often associated with “Schedule F”-style personnel policy changes—recasting certain federal roles to allow faster hiring and firing outside standard competitive service rules.
NARFE framed the finalized rule as a direct challenge to the federal merit system, which is designed to protect career employees from partisan influence and ensure personnel decisions are based on qualifications and performance. The group argues that shifting large numbers of employees out of the competitive service could reduce procedural protections in removals and discipline actions and could deter candid policy advice from career staff.
The Saving the Civil Service Act, backed by NARFE, is positioned as a legislative countermeasure intended to preserve competitive service protections and limit the executive branch’s ability to reclassify roles in ways that bypass merit-based rules. NARFE is urging federal employees, retirees, and supporters of the merit system to contact lawmakers in support of the bill.
For federal employees, the immediate takeaway is that classification status can shape your rights in adverse actions, appeals, and removals. If your position is identified for reclassification, it could affect the procedural steps your agency must follow and the forums available to challenge a personnel action. Employees concerned about potential changes should monitor agency guidance and union or professional association updates as implementation details emerge.
Source: NARFE News