- The proposed rule would allow agencies to fire federal employees within five days if found unsuitable.
- Suitability standards traditionally used for job applicants would now apply to existing staff.
- Acting OPM Director says public service is a privilege and must be held to high ethical standards.
- The rule aims to close the gap between standards for new hires and current employees.
- Public comment period will run from June 3 to July 3, 2025.
The Big Picture
The Trump administration is moving to overhaul federal workforce rules by proposing a new regulation that would significantly speed up the process of firing federal employees accused of serious misconduct. Under the rule announced by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), current federal workers could be dismissed within five working days if deemed no longer “suitable” to serve the public.
How the Rule Works
Currently, suitability adjudications — a process used to screen job applicants for federal positions — do not apply once someone becomes a federal employee. OPM’s new proposal would expand those standards to current employees, enabling agencies to remove them swiftly when serious misconduct is alleged.
“It has been easier to bar an applicant from federal employment with past serious misconduct than it has been to address a current employee committing the same misconduct,” OPM wrote in its June 2 press release.
Official Justification
Acting OPM Director Chuck Ezell defended the proposal as a much-needed fix to a broken disciplinary process.
Background and Motivation
This proposed rule is aligned with President Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative and a presidential memorandum focused on strengthening workforce suitability and fitness standards. OPM argues that the federal government has for decades used “overly cumbersome and restrictive procedures” to address post-hiring misconduct, thereby enabling a double standard between applicants and existing staff.
What’s Next
The proposed rule will be formally published in the Federal Register on June 3, 2025. A 30-day public comment period will follow, ending July 3. If finalized, federal agencies would be obligated to remove employees deemed unsuitable within five workdays of such a determination.
For more details, see the OPM press release.
Conclusion
Supporters of the rule say it will bring greater accountability and integrity to public service. Critics, however, may question whether fast-tracked dismissals could risk due process protections. As public comments begin, the rule is set to become a cornerstone in President Trump’s government efficiency agenda.
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