Understanding the latest executive orders impacting federal employees
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Understanding the latest executive orders impacting federal employees

Date
February 4, 2025
Authors
Partnership for Public Service
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The Partnership for Public Service launched a webinar series to address critical issues facing the civil service and answer frequently asked questions from federal employees as they navigate change. 

In the first session of the Federal Employee Explainer Series, Jenny Mattingley, the Partnership’s vice president of government affairs, and Kevin Johnson, the Partnership’s federal workforce director, discussed the impact of the recent executive orders on the federal workforce. 

They addressed the following questions from federal employees: 

What recent executive orders, presidential actions and guidance affect career federal employees?  

The Hiring Freeze Presidential Memorandum prohibits filling any vacant federal civilian position and creating new positions within executive departments and agencies. This restriction has some exceptions and does not apply to military personnel or positions related to immigration enforcement, national security or public safety. The Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management have issued guidance regarding the hiring freeze

The Return to In-Person Work Presidential Memorandum requires leaders of all executive branch departments and agencies to end remote work arrangements and compels employees to return to in-person work. The Office of Personnel Management has issued guidance related to this memorandum

Several presidential actions dismantle previous administrations’ diversity, equity and inclusion programs and practices, including personnel responsible for implementation. Among these are the Executive Order on Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, the Executive Order on Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, and a Presidential Memorandum on Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity

What are the differences between executive orders, presidential memoranda and guidance? 

Presidents can issue directives through executive orders, giving agencies instructions on how to interpret and carry out federal law. 

A presidential memorandum is similar to an executive order but lacks a standardized issuance process and does not have to be published in the Federal Register. 

The OPM and OMB often publish guidance to help agencies understand and implement directives from the president. 

What’s the difference between telework and remote work, and how can I find my telework agreement? 

Telework allows eligible employees to work from home or another approved location for a set number of days per pay period. This is similar to a private sector arrangement often called hybrid work.  

Remote work allows eligible employees to work full-time from home or at another approved location. 

The guidance issued addresses both telework and remote work arrangements, indicating agencies should take steps to require federal employees to return to in-person work. 

For questions about your telework and remote work agreement, contact your human resources office. If you haven’t signed a telework agreement or haven’t seen it recently, check your agency’s intranet and speak with your supervisor. 

Can I still receive a reasonable accommodation? 

Reasonable accommodation is part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act and cannot be removed by an executive order. Reasonable accommodation is regulated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

The EEOC identifies qualifying disabilities for reasonable accommodation, but your agency determines the specific accommodations you receive, based on discussions with your EEO director and the agency’s internal processes.  

The Job Accommodation Network is a valuable resource for information and best practices on disabilities and how to request appropriate accommodation.  The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy is another helpful resource. 

What is Schedule Policy/Career, and how does it differ from Schedule F? 

A new executive order and guidance from OPM revamped Schedule F, now called Schedule Policy/Career. This directs agencies to reclassify  civil servants in policy-influencing roles as “at-will” employees. This new schedule would remove appeal rights for those federal employees. 

For more information about Schedule Policy/Career, visit the FAQs section of our resource hub. 

What resources are available to support federal employees through these changes? 

The Partnership for Public Service’s new resource hub compiles resources to support federal employees through change, including answers to frequently asked questions, information on leading through change, federal workforce insights and more. 

We also published a compilation of presidential actions that impact federal civil servants, along with our responses. 

Stay tuned for the latest updates and join our upcoming webinars for in-depth discussions on these important changes and how they affect the federal workforce. 

Webinar recording

Title: Federal Employee Explainer Series: What do executive orders mean for me?
Date: Jan. 30, 2025
Speakers: Jenny Mattingley, vice president of government affairs, Partnership for Public Service. Kevin Johnson, director, federal workforce, Partnership for Public Service
Topics: Executive orders, presidential actions, federal workforce, Trump administration, hiring freeze, return to in-person work, telework, remote work, reasonable accommodation, Schedule F, Schedule Policy/Career, resources for federal employees


Please note that the information provided during these webinars is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice. If you require legal advice, we recommend consulting with a qualified attorney who can assess your unique circumstances.