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A major shift is coming for tens of thousands of federal employees as President Donald Trump’s administration moves to finalize its revived “Schedule F” plan.
The change centers on reclassifying federal workers in what are considered policy‑influencing roles and could take effect once the president signs an executive order.
Federal News Network reporter Drew Friedman, who has been following the changes, told WTOP some critics are pushing back and several lawsuits have already been filed over the plan.
“They say that this is something that goes against federal statutes. It goes against due process,” Friedman said.
Under the proposal, called “Schedule Policy/Career,” employees in policy-influencing roles could be shifted into a new category with fewer job protections. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management estimates about 50,000 employees could be reclassified.
Scott Kupor, the head of OPM, told Federal News Network the administration views the change differently.
“This is about accountability,” Kupor said.
Agencies have been selecting which jobs they believe should be reclassified.
“The president will issue an executive order that will determine that will say, ‘OK, these roles now are under this Policy/Career,’” he said.
Once that happens, Friedman said conversions would begin immediately.
Schedule Policy/Career, formerly called the Schedule F plan, revives a job category designed to move federal workers into a classification that removes many long‑standing civil service protections and makes it easier for agencies to fire employees or take disciplinary action.
Kupor said the administration believes employees in policymaking roles must carry out a president’s lawful directives, and those who refuse can’t stay in those positions.
“And if, for whatever reason, you choose to do something which is not in concert with or, in fact, is contradictory to the policies of the administration — as long as it’s obviously a lawful policy — that you can’t be in that role if you’re not able to actually affect those policies,” Kupor said.
Kupor said whistleblower protections will remain, but employees who refuse to carry out a president’s “lawful policies” could still face removal.
Still, critics of the change are alarmed.
“Many have raised concerns that it’s essentially going to erode the nonpartisan career nature of the federal workforce and move toward a more politicized presence in the federal workforce,” Friedman said.
