The National Treasury Employees Union has taken legal action by filing a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia to challenge President Donald Trump's executive order. The order, which aims to eliminate certain civil service protections for federal workers, has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the future of career employees in the federal government.
The lawsuit argues that Trump is overstepping his authority by attempting to exert greater control over the hiring and firing of career employees. The union, representing federal employees in 37 departments and agencies, contends that the executive order contradicts federal law and regulations. Additionally, the union points out that the Trump administration cannot disregard a 2024 rule implemented by the Biden administration that strengthened workers' protections.
Trump's executive order resurrects a previous directive that created a new category, known as Schedule F, for federal employees involved in policy matters. This designation would grant Trump and his appointees more authority over the employment status of certain government workers.
The complaint filed by the union states that the executive order will significantly alter the civil service by expanding the number and types of employees subject to dismissal without proper recourse. The union emphasizes that the 2024 rule specifies that policy-oriented employees should be non-career, political appointees, and applying the executive order to career employees would violate existing laws and regulations.
The lawsuit highlights that the executive order could impact up to 50,000 employees, as reported in a 2022 Axios article. The legal challenge underscores the ongoing debate over the balance of power between the executive branch and the civil service, with implications for the future of federal workforce protections.
