The Trump administration has asked all federal departments and agencies to submit lists of employees who received low job performance ratings over the past three years. This decision is part of the government’s effort to improve efficiency and reduce the federal workforce.
Trump Orders Federal Employee Review
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is developing new ways to evaluate employees’ job performance. Agencies must now identify challenges that prevent them from making clear distinctions between high and low performers. They are also expected to highlight obstacles to quickly removing employees who fail to improve.
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, aim to reduce government spending and the number of federal employees. The administration had also introduced a buyout plan for federal workers, which saw over 60,000 employees sign up. However, a federal judge has temporarily blocked this plan.
The new order requires agencies to provide detailed information on underperforming employees, including names, job titles, duty locations, and past performance improvement efforts. This has raised concerns among government workers and legal experts, who fear the data could be misused.
Recently, two groups of FBI agents sued the administration over requests for employee data. They claim the government is targeting agents who investigated Trump and individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Additionally, intelligence officials have raised alarms about national security risks. Some worry that classified information could be exposed, making federal employees vulnerable to foreign threats.
