Federal employees in policy jobs can now be fired for 'undermining the democratic process'

The US government wants to make it easier to fire federal employees in policy-making roles. These employees would lose their job protections and could be removed quickly for poor performance or misconduct. This means agencies could fire people who they believe are intentionally working against presidential directives.

Federal employees in career positions have long-standing protections against arbitrary firing. These protections ensure that government work continues regardless of who is in power. This proposed rule would remove those protections for a specific group of employees, making it easier for a new administration to remove people it sees as disloyal. It shifts power from career civil servants to political appointees.