Office of Personnel Management

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is the federal government's human resources agency. It manages the civil service of the federal government, including hiring, benefits, and workforce policies. OPM is in the news due to proposed changes by the Trump administration regarding the dismissal of federal employees. These changes aim to limit the legal options available to government workers who are fired, specifically by ending their right to appeal dismissals to an independent review board. Additionally, a new rule from OPM would reclassify high-ranking officials as at-will employees, making it easier to fire them for 'intentionally subverting Presidential directives.' These developments are significant because they represent a potential overhaul of the civil service system, potentially increasing presidential power over the federal workforce and reducing job security for government employees.