Office of Personnel Management

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) serves as the human resources department for the US federal government. Recent news focuses on proposed changes impacting federal employees' rights regarding dismissal. The Trump administration, through OPM, has proposed limiting the ability of fired federal employees to appeal their dismissals to an independent review board. A new rule would also reclassify some high-ranking officials as at-will employees, making them easier to fire, particularly for 'intentionally subverting Presidential directives.' These actions are significant because they represent a potential shift in the power dynamic between the executive branch and the civil service, potentially weakening job security and appeal processes for federal employees.