In a contentious move, some lawmakers and agencies are pushing back against a recent demand from the Office of Personnel Management for federal employees to document their weekly work activities.
This weekend, President Trump urged a tech entrepreneur to take a more aggressive stance with a newly formed team tasked with improving government efficiency, which has already led to significant federal job cuts. Following Trump’s directive, the entrepreneur issued a stark ultimatum to federal employees: report your weekly accomplishments or face termination. This has led to confusion as several cabinet members advise their teams to disregard the request.
Recently, the Office of Personnel Management reached out to federal employees via email, asking for a summary of their work in five bullet points. In contrast, the tech figure stated that failing to respond would be interpreted as a resignation. He justified the email as a means to eliminate fraud and establish a “basic pulse check” within the government. However, leaders from agencies such as the FBI have instructed their personnel to hold off on responding to this request. A Republican senator recently backed the entrepreneur’s initiative on national television, suggesting that keeping track of work should be a standard practice for employees.
During a public appearance, the entrepreneur showcased his commitment to reducing government size by dramatically wielding a chainsaw, representing his effort to cut through bureaucratic inefficiencies. Meanwhile, President Trump celebrated these initiatives at a conference, expressing satisfaction with the efforts to combat waste and fraud within federal systems.
Federal employees are now facing a deadline to submit their work accomplishments, which is set for midnight Monday. In response to these developments, a union representing a large segment of federal workers has vowed to contest any potential job terminations resulting from non-compliance.
