Trump Administration Sets Nov. 17 Deadline for Federal Hiring Committees
The Trump administration has set a deadline for federal hiring committees to be formed by November 17. This requirement affects various agencies throughout the U.S. government. The directive was issued in a memo on Wednesday, penned by Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management.
Background of the Federal Hiring Directive
This memo builds on an executive order concerning federal hiring, which President Donald Trump signed the previous month. The executive order extends a hiring freeze that Trump initiated upon taking office. It also outlines new measures for hiring federal civilian employees.
Key Features of the Hiring Committees
The newly mandated “strategic hiring committees” will be predominantly comprised of political appointees. However, career federal employees may also join. Each committee is expected to include between five and nine members.
- The committees must sign off on all hires.
- Each committee will develop an “annual staffing plan” for submission to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
- Hiring must align with national interests, agency needs, and administration priorities.
- The committees must ensure compliance with the agency’s Merit Hiring Plan.
Implementation and Compliance
The memo instructs each agency to notify the OPM in writing about approved hires. Additionally, agencies are required to prepare their yearly staffing plans at the beginning of each fiscal year. This must be done in collaboration with OPM and OMB.
The deadline for next year’s staffing plans is December 1, as stipulated in the memo. The formation of these committees marks a significant shift in the federal hiring framework, emphasizing the role of political appointees in the hiring process.
