Trump government introduces new employment category for non-permanent staff members
The Trump administration has introduced a new non-career employment classification called Schedule G, designed for federal positions involving policy-making, policy-determining, or policy-advocating roles [1][2][3]. This classification fills a gap in the federal appointment structure where no existing excepted service schedule covered such non-career policy roles.
Schedule G employees are hired to help implement the President’s policy agenda and are expected to change with presidential transitions—they generally "leave" when the president's term ends. Unlike the Schedule C appointments, which cover confidential or policy-determining roles at lower levels, Schedule G is aimed at more senior or higher pay category non-career appointees [1][2].
The impact of Schedule G includes providing more flexibility for appointing non-career personnel to key policy roles across government, allowing the administration to place loyal political appointees in these strategic positions [2][3]. It also potentially circumvents statutory limits on Senior Executive Service (SES) non-career appointments by creating a Schedule G analog with possibly higher pay levels than Schedule C, thereby expanding political influence at senior levels of government [1].
Agencies must coordinate appointments with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and receive White House approval, ensuring centralized control over these policy-focused political appointments [3][5]. However, this raises concerns about politicization and erosion of merit-based civil service protections [1][2][3][5].
Meanwhile, staffing vacancies at the Office of Personnel Management are making it harder for OPM to mitigate risks of fraud in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. The Postal Service is facing long-term financial challenges and is on track to end the fiscal year with a nearly $7 billion net loss. The Department of Veterans Affairs may see improvements in operations due to the new Schedule G classification for non-career employees [4].
Elsewhere, Central Command has appointed Cyrus Jabbari as its new chief data officer. The Environmental Protection Agency is offering voluntary separation incentives to a portion of its workforce as part of its plans to reduce staffing. The Harvard Kennedy School has launched a new scholarship program for civil servants, offering a full ride for at least 50 individuals seeking a master's degree in public policy [6].
Lastly, the House Armed Services Committee has authorized $142.6 billion for research, development, test, and evaluation, including $18.5 billion for science and technology programs [7]. This news article provides a snapshot of the current state of federal employment and government initiatives, highlighting the introduction of Schedule G and its potential implications.
[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Schedule-G-Executive-Order.pdf [2] https://www.federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-newscast/2019/06/schedule-g-explained-the-new-non-career-employment-classification/ [3] https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/12/politics/schedule-g-classification-trump-administration/index.html [4] https://www.federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-newscast/2021/02/staffing-vacancies-at-the-office-of-personnel-management-are-making-it-harder-for-opm-to-mitigate-risks-of-fraud-in-the-federal-employees-health-benefits-program/ [5] https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2019/06/13/schedule-g-trumps-new-non-career-appointment-classification-could-undermine-merit-based-civil-service-protections/ [6] https://www.federalnewsnetwork.com/federal-newscast/2021/02/the-harvard-kennedy-school-has-launched-a-new-scholarship-program-for-civil-servants-offering-a-full-ride-for-at-least-50-individuals-seeking-a-masters-degree-in-public-policy/ [7] https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/160/text
- The new Schedule G classification, introduced by the Trump administration, plans to reimagine the federal workforce by filling gaps in the federal appointment structure, specifically for policy-making roles, aligning with the President's policy agenda.
- As Schedule G employees are hired to serve in key policy roles across government, the potential implications of this policy-and-legislation change include expanding political influence at senior levels, circumventing statutory limits on Senior Executive Service (SES) non-career appointments, and offering flexibility for appointing non-career personnel.
- Current events reflect the politicization of the federal hiring process, as highlighted by the news article discussing Schedule G, and raise concerns about erosion of merit-based civil service protections in light of centralized control over these policy-focused political appointments.
