Politicizing the Civil Service is a Disturbingly Bad Idea: FMA Responds to Executive Order
As most feds are now aware, President Trump recently signed an executive order to create a Schedule F in the Excepted Service, a new class of career “confidential, policy-determining, or policy-advocating” positions. Concerning to FMA, this move strips civil service protections from a huge, as yet-untold number of federal workers.
This would allow career civil servants who have devoted their lives to nonpartisan service to the United States to be fired without cause, purely because they chose to remain nonpartisan instead of giving in to partisan loyalty tests.
The Federal Managers Association (FMA) opposes this executive order because we believe that an apolitical civil service, where key experts work across many administrations bringing institutional knowledge, is critical to the healthy functioning of the federal government. Without this large group of dedicated career civil servants, agencies could be hamstrung and unable to execute their basic functions. While a political appointee can set the direction of an agency, the ones who know how to make the metaphorical ship go in said direction are the career civil servants put at risk by this order. Without them, agencies would be rudderless and less effective. As a non-partisan organization, FMA would adamantly oppose this Executive Order from any administration, Republican or Democratic.
FMA endorses the Saving the Civil Services Act (H.R. 8687) introduced by House Government Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), House Oversight and Reform Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD). This bill would prevent the executive order by being implemented by blocking agencies from converting employees to or hiring any new Schedule F employees, as well as reinstating anyone fired because of this executive order, and granting them back pay.
“Congress must stand up to this midnight attack on civil service protections,” Connolly said. “This executive order is based on nothing—no data, no evidence of a problem, and no consultation with stakeholders, including Congress.”
The damage this executive order could do to the civil service cannot be overstated. FMA’s National President Craig Carter issued a statement on the issue, stating that “One of the best recruiting tools for the federal workforce has always been the structure and security of federal jobs, despite being paid less than our private sector counterparts. This EO eliminates that incentive to work for less pay but greater fairness and security that has inspired many to join or remain in the civil service. We are concerned that people who want to serve their country in ways other than the military may not consider the civil service after this type of systemic change in focus and purpose.”
FMA calls on Congress to act to ensure our federal public service remains as apolitical as possible, starting with passage of the Saving the Civil Services Act. It is imperative that the merit system successfully employed for so many decades, as well as the worker protections under which federal employees work, remain in place.
The views reflected in this column are those of FMA and do not necessarily represent the views of FEDmanager. To learn more about the Federal Managers Association (FMA), visit their website: FedManagers.org.