{"id":43703,"date":"2025-02-04T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ourpublicservice.org\/?p=43703"},"modified":"2025-03-28T16:38:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T20:38:24","slug":"latest-executive-orders-federal-employees-trump-administration-federal-government-explainer-series-webinars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourpublicservice.org\/blog\/latest-executive-orders-federal-employees-trump-administration-federal-government-explainer-series-webinars\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the latest executive orders impacting federal employees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Partnership for Public Service launched a webinar series<\/a> to address critical issues facing the civil service and answer frequently asked questions from federal employees as they navigate change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the first session of the Federal Employee Explainer Series<\/a>, Jenny Mattingley, the Partnership\u2019s vice president of government affairs, and Kevin Johnson, the Partnership\u2019s federal workforce director, discussed the impact of the recent executive orders on the federal workforce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They addressed the following questions from federal employees: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What recent executive orders, presidential actions and guidance affect career federal employees?  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Hiring Freeze<\/a> 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<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Return to In-Person Work<\/a> 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<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several presidential actions dismantle previous administrations\u2019 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<\/a>, the Executive Order on Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government<\/a>, and a Presidential Memorandum on Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are the differences between executive orders, presidential memoranda and guidance? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Presidents can issue directives through executive orders, giving agencies instructions on how to interpret and carry out federal law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OPM and OMB often publish guidance to help agencies understand and implement directives from the president. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What’s the difference between telework and remote work, and how can I find my telework agreement? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Telework<\/a> 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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remote work allows eligible employees to work full-time from home or at another approved location. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The guidance issued<\/a> addresses both telework and remote work arrangements, indicating agencies should take steps to require federal employees to return to in-person work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For questions about your telework and remote work agreement<\/a>, 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Can I still receive a reasonable accommodation? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Reasonable accommodation<\/a> 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<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Job Accommodation Network<\/a> 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<\/a> is another helpful resource. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is Schedule Policy\/Career, and how does it differ from Schedule F? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A new executive order<\/a> and guidance from OPM<\/a> revamped Schedule F, now called Schedule Policy\/Career. This directs agencies to reclassify  civil servants in policy-influencing roles as \u201cat-will\u201d employees. This new schedule would remove appeal rights for those federal employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information about Schedule Policy\/Career, visit the FAQs section<\/a> of our resource hub. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What resources are available to support federal employees through these changes? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Partnership for Public Service\u2019s new resource hub<\/a> compiles resources to support federal employees through change, including answers to frequently asked questions, information on leading through change, federal workforce insights and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also published a compilation of presidential actions<\/a> that impact federal civil servants, along with our responses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned for the latest updates and join our upcoming webinars<\/a> for in-depth discussions on these important changes and how they affect the federal workforce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Webinar recording<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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