In June, the Trump administration announced it was stripping civil service protections from about 8,000 civil servants employed in more than 4,800 distinct positions, to provide further accountability for employees in “confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, and policy-advocating roles.”
In response, the Partnership for Public Service released an analysis suggesting that the scope of reclassifications appeared to be much broader, extending to legal, finance and human resources positions.
Over the past two months, agencies have begun to identify when job postings fall under Schedule Policy/Career. The Partnership’s analysis of these job postings finds that these reclassifications appear to include:
- Positions that go well-beyond policy, finance and human resources, including transportation security officers, electronics engineers and a rehab counselor for veterans
- Civil servants who support and advise administrative law judges—officials traditionally insulated from presidential interference
- Employees with oversight roles related to Freedom of Information Act requests and conducting audits
Expanded scope, eroded transparency
Our analysis of recent postings on USAJOBS finds 137 job descriptions indicating that new hires may or will be hired under Schedule Policy/Career. Many of these postings are for positions that were not originally slated for reclassification, including entry-level and mid-level jobs:
This apparent expansion runs contrary to the Trump administration’s statement that reclassifications were largely limited to the “highest-ranking career positions outside of the Senior Executive Service.”
Although the authority for moving existing positions to Schedule Policy/Career rests with the president, there is seemingly no requirement that future reclassifications be reported in a standardized format. Furthermore, there do not appear to be specific qualifications that agencies must use when creating new positions under this authority. As our analysis demonstrates, Schedule Policy/Career is being applied to an expanding array of positions—with minimal public transparency or accountability.
These designations may also dissuade quality applicants from applying to government jobs.
Previous Partnership analysis found that many state HR professionals believe at-will employment makes government jobs less attractive to employees. Moreover, at the federal level, the issue goes beyond job security—employees hired into Schedule Policy/Career positions are typically ineligible for student loan repayment benefits and relocation or recruitment incentives.
Undermining independence and oversight
We also identified examples of reclassifications extending to roles responsible for:
- Supporting administrative law judges—a role that has been traditionally seen as independent of the executive branch
- Conducting audits and managing risk
- Responding to Freedom of Information Act requests
These reclassifications are particularly problematic because they pose a threat to oversight and independence.
Previously, the Partnership found that at-will employment increases the risk of politically motivated and “strategic” firings. Now, employees serving in roles that provide a check on executive power could face further pressure to act in the interests of the executive branch instead of the country at large.
Conclusion
At-will employment poses clear risks to our government, increasing the risk of politically motivated firings while providing little benefit to employee performance.
Although our analysis is limited to recent job postings, it suggests that these reclassifications reach far beyond policy roles, such as transportation security officers and engineers, as well as employees who provide a check on executive power. Transparency into this process is nearly nonexistent, and the Trump administration has indicated that it is preparing to reclassify more positions in the near future.
Data and methodology
The Office of Personnel Management recommends that agencies hiring for Schedule Policy/Career positions include language outlining that these employees will be hired at will.
By analyzing data from the USAJOBS API (as of Aug. 12, 2026), the Partnership identified a set of 137 job postings that indicate employees may or will be hired under Schedule Policy/Career, along with two postings for jobs that explicitly state they are not classified under Schedule Policy/Career. We are publicly releasing a list of these postings to provide further transparency into the scope of these reclassifications.
The Partnership used artificial intelligence tools to support its data analysis.
Learn more about the Partnership’s Government for a New Era initiative, which seeks to develop practical, bold reforms for a more effective, responsive and accountable government.