The Trump administration has moved into its next phase in shrinking the federal workforce by asking federal agencies to develop plans for large-scale reductions in force.
The Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management sent a letter to heads of executive departments and agencies Wednesday with guidance on agency RIF and reorganization plans.
Up until now, federal agencies have been making mass cuts primarily to probationary employees, or those who were generally one or two years on the job. By moving to a RIF, which would eliminate positions entirely, it could mean more senior staff will be cut.
Under President Donald Trump’s Feb. 11 workforce optimization executive order, agencies were directed to “eliminate waste, bloat and insularity.” Through this order, agencies are required to initiate large-scale RIFs and no later than March 13, develop reorganization plans.
The OMB and OPM letter includes guidance for both the “agency RIF and reorganization plans” and instructs agencies to submit those plans to both offices.
The overall principles guiding these reorganizations should be “better service for the American people,” increased productivity, a significant reduction in full-time positions by eliminating unrequired positions, decreased real property footprint and smaller budgets.
Agencies should prioritize the maximum elimination of functions that are not statutorily mandated while maintaining efficient delivery of required functions. They should also look to consolidate areas of the agency that are duplicative and find ways to automate routine tasks.
Some of the “tools” listed for agencies include continuing a hiring freeze directive that no more than one employee should be hired for every four that leave. Additionally, the offices identify options such as allowing term or temporary positions to expire without renewal, removing underperforming employees, and continuing to evaluate probationary staff.
After the initial March 13 review, agencies are required to submit plans by April 14 on how they will consolidate management, become more efficient and potentially even relocate from D.C. to “less costly” parts of the country.
The memo comes after an already significant wave of firings across federal agencies that primarily targeted probationary employees. About 1,200 staff from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service were fired. There were also cuts at the Food and Drug Administration’s human foods and animal feed ingredient programs.
Some of these terminations have been rescinded. This includes some employees responsible for working on the avian flu outbreak and some scientists in the Agricultural Research Service. The Associated Press also reported this week that at least 10 employees tasked with reviewing food ingredient safety were rehired at FDA.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., said Wednesday afternoon that he was unaware of the OMB directive, and said he would prefer it if Congress was more informed on the staffing changes.
“I don’t understand them like I’d like to,” Boozman said about the job cuts. “I really feel like we should be better informed as to what their plan is, what they’re trying to accomplish, what the end goal is.”
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