Are we entering an era where political power reaches deeper into day-to-day employment decisions – especially for those in public service and policy-facing roles?
A recent regulatory change in the United States offers a stark case study. The Trump administration has finalised a rule that strips long-standing job protections from tens of thousands of senior career civil servants in roles deemed central to implementing presidential policy.
For those employees – and the HR leaders who support them – the shift moves government employment closer to an at-will model, heightening the risk of politically driven dismissals and targeted layoffs.
The US Office of Personnel Management has created a new classification for senior career officials whose responsibilities involve regulation, strategy or program direction. Roughly 2% of the federal workforce – about 50,000 employees – are expected to fall under this category.
These roles historically came with robust civil service protections. Agencies had to document performance issues, provide improvement plans, and allow independent review of adverse actions before terminating someone.
Under the new rule, those procedural safeguards are sharply reduced. Agencies will be able to remove employees more quickly and with fewer external checks, moving these positions closer to a private-sector-style at-will environment.
The measure effectively revives and broadens the short-lived “Schedule F”...
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