Schedule F Creation (E.O. 13957)

Summary

Creates a new 'Schedule F' job category for federal workers in policy-making roles, removing their job protections to make them easier to hire and fire.

What problem does this solve?

The government found it difficult to hire the right people for important policy jobs and to remove workers who were not performing well. This order creates a new job category that removes many hiring and firing rules, giving managers more control over these positions.

What does this order do?

Establishes Schedule F

Creates a new category of federal employment, Schedule F, for career employees in confidential, policy-making, or policy-advocating positions.

Removes hiring and firing protections

Exempts Schedule F positions from standard competitive hiring rules and from the usual procedures required to fire a federal employee.

Requires agencies to review positions

Orders the head of every executive agency to review their workforce and ask for policy-related positions to be moved into the new Schedule F category.

Defines which positions are affected

Specifies that jobs involving policy development, supervising attorneys, or collective bargaining negotiations should be considered for Schedule F.

Maintains protections against discrimination

Requires agencies to create rules that forbid unfair personnel practices, such as discrimination, for employees in Schedule F positions.

Who does this affect?

Federal employees in policy-related roles
Executive agency heads
Applicants for federal jobs

What is the real world impact?

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Politicizes the federal workforce

Removes job protections from career civil servants in policy roles. This could allow an administration to fire experts and replace them with political loyalists, weakening the non-partisan nature of the government.

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Increases agency flexibility

Gives agency heads more power to hire people they think are best for policy jobs and to quickly remove workers who are not performing well, aiming to make government more effective.

When does this start?

The order became effective on October 21, 2020, and includes several deadlines for federal agencies to follow.

Complete agency review

Within 210 days of October 21, 2020, agency heads must complete a full review of positions and petition for their reclassification to Schedule F.

Preliminary agency review

Within 90 days of October 21, 2020, agency heads must conduct a preliminary review of positions to identify candidates for Schedule F.

Annual OPM report

By December 31 of each year, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management must report to the President on the number of petitions granted and denied.