The mechanism that makes firing federal policy-makers easier

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the U.S. federal government, removing a low-performing employee can be nearly impossible due to rigid civil service protections. To solve this, the government created a specific category of roles that bypasses these hurdles, allowing for faster removal of officials in high-stakes, policy-influencing positions.

The U.S. government distinguishes between 'competitive service' and 'excepted service' roles. Most federal employees enjoy protections that make it difficult for supervisors to dismiss them for poor performance; in fact, only about 25% of federal supervisors believe they could remove a serious underperformer. To address this, Executive Order 14410 established 'Schedule Policy/Career' within the excepted service. This category specifically targets positions that are confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating.

By moving these roles into the excepted service, the government removes the 'adverse action' procedures that typically stall removals. This shift is intended to ensure that the President can faithfully execute the laws and advance elected priorities by holding policy-influencing subordinates accountable. Despite these changes, the order mandates that these positions must still be filled based on merit rather than political affiliation. Agencies are also directed to recognize and reward these employees for outstanding work through separate bonus pools and a new Presidential award program.

The transition to Schedule Policy/Career is not automatic for all roles. Agency heads must petition the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to recommend specific positions for this status, providing a written explanation of why the role is policy-influencing and not normally subject to change during a Presidential transition. This structure seeks to balance the need for a permanent, merit-based civil service with the necessity of executive accountability in the nation's most sensitive policy-making gears.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

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