President Donald Trump signed an executive order on February 11 implementing sweeping changes to federal workforce management, including a plan that would allow agencies to hire only one new employee for every four who depart.
The "Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative" establishes new oversight mechanisms for federal hiring and mandates preparation for large-scale reductions in force across federal agencies.
"To restore accountability to the American public, this order commences a critical transformation of the Federal bureaucracy," states the executive order's opening section.
Key provisions of the order include:
The order exempts several categories of federal workers, including military personnel and positions related to law enforcement, immigration enforcement, and public safety. Agency heads may also exempt positions deemed necessary for national security or public safety.
Within 30 days, agency heads must submit reports to the Office of Management and Budget identifying which parts of their organizations are statutorily required and which could be eliminated or consolidated.
The order also directs the Office of Personnel Management to initiate rulemaking that would expand grounds for employee removal, including failure to file tax returns on time and misuse of government resources.
The United States DOGE Service Administrator must submit an implementation report to the President within 240 days, including recommendations on whether provisions should be extended, modified, or terminated.
This executive order follows the January 20 hiring freeze memorandum and builds upon previous workforce reform initiatives announced by the administration.
