A new proposal from Washington could dramatically narrow how dismissed federal employees fight their way back into government service.
Under the plan, workers who lose their jobs would no longer take their cases to an independent body that traditionally settles disputes between agencies and employees. Instead, appeals would be handled by the federal government’s own human resources office—an agency whose leadership ultimately answers to President Donald Trump.
The shift is framed as part of a broader effort to streamline the federal workforce. Since returning to office, Trump has leaned heavily into reducing government headcount, with layoffs and buyouts becoming defining features of his second term. The latest proposal would reinforce that strategy by tightening the path for workers who want to challenge their removal.
Until now, the independent review board has acted as a buffer, weighing complaints and arbitrating disagreements. Its workload surged after Trump’s return to the White House, with new cases more than tripling over a recent one-year period as staffing cuts accelerated across agencies.
Labor groups say the proposed change strips away a critical layer of oversight. Union leaders argue that routing appeals back to the same administrative structure that oversees hiring and firing would tilt the playing field sharply against employees, making large-scale dismissals easier to carry out with little external scrutiny.
Government officials counter that the goal is speed and efficiency, not bias. The personnel office says it can handle complaints fairly while allowing agencies to reorganize in a controlled and responsible way. Officials also point out that many departures in recent years came through voluntary exits or buyouts rather than outright terminations.
If adopted, the plan would mark a significant reordering of how workplace disputes are handled in the federal system—one that reflects the administration’s broader push to consolidate control while shrinking the size of government.
