The Trump administration released a proposal Monday that it says will target federal employees who engage in “serious misconduct.”
The draft rule, set for formal publication Tuesday, would expand the Office of Personnel Management’s “existing authority to take suitability actions against employees,” the proposal says. “Because employees who engage in serious misconduct while in the Federal service should not remain in Federal service, OPM should not limit its ability to take action to a limited subset of factors.”
The proposal comes as part of a broader push by the administration to downsize the federal government, including moves aimed at making it easier to fire workers deemed to have engaged in misconduct and those viewed as poor performers.
“For too long, agencies have faced red tape when trying to remove employees who break the public’s trust,” OPM acting Director Chuck Ezell said in a statement. “This proposed rule ensures misconduct is met with consequence and reinforces that public service is a privilege, not a right.”
