During his presidential campaign, President-Elect Trump claimed he disavowed Project 2025 and “knew nothing” about it. As he rarely remembers how he lied last time, Trump has since reversed course and now admits he knew about Project 2025 and the Project 2025 impact. The Project 2025 impact on federal employees is estimated by all experts to be severe and as we warned before, federal employees should begin preparing to transition out of federal employment as a contingency plan, regardless of their performance, years of service, veterans status, disability status, retirement eligibility, etc, for the reasons stated below.
Instead of providing a detailed analysis of the Project 2025 impact on federal employees, we compiled a series of videos and links to primary source articles clearly demonstrating the challenges faced by federal employees, as well as the general public. While certain agencies, such as the highly successful and consumer-oriented Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) are clearly at risk of complete elimination, other federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Social Security Administration (SSA), among others, are likely to be significantly downsized based on direct statements made by Trump, Elon Musk, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
The impact of Project 2025 on federal employees can only be estimated at this time. However, based on primary source statements made by Trump, Ramaswamy, and Musk, the federal workforce targets are broad and sweeping from eliminating entire agencies based on some abstract claim of Constitutional authority to vowing to fire all federal workers whose social security number ends in an odd digit. More recently, Ramaswamy stated he would require every teleworking and remote (they are not the same thing) federal employee to “return to the office”, regardless of where the employee and office are geographically located and not adhere to the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) guidance on local commuting area (within fifty miles), which is also incorporated in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) definition for Reduction in Force Purposes (RIF) at 5 CFR 351.203. By his own admission, the goal would be to “quietly fire” many federal employees who are otherwise unable to return for any reason. It appears the people in charge of the endeavor of destroying the federal workforce are not familiar with laws or regulations concerning Reasonable Accommodation (RA). In fact, both Musk and Ramaswamy have repeatedly publicly stated they will not follow law or regulation when attempting to dismantle the federal workforce. Clearly, the Trump administration intends to conduct a wide-scale Reduction in Force (RIF) at some point early on in the transition. Ultimately, they may have to comply with law and regulation concerning a Reduction in Force (RIF). However, it is clear they will attempt to circumvent law and regulation.
The federal workforce targets are broad and sweeping from eliminating entire agencies to vowing to fire all federal workers whose social security number ends in an odd digit.
Project 2025 Impact – What You Can Do
While the Project 2025 Impact on federal employees is only estimated at this point, any federal employee who voted for a 34x convicted felon and leader of the January 6th insurrection movement must first reflect on the rationality of their vote in the context of their solemn Constitutional Oath to the federal office they hold. Frankly, it is highly probable they will receive the consequences of their actions. Unfortunately, voters who knew better will also be casualties. We are merely being candid. Concerning federal employees who are teleworking or working remotely (these are two distinct concepts), they may wish to develop a strategy to apply for Reasonable Accommodation (RA) with the intention of securing telework or remote work through that protected process, for as long as it remains a protected process. By doing so, they can effectively forestall any agency attempt to return them to the office, at least for the near future. We also strongly advise federal employees to ensure their personal and professional information contained in all agency system of records is updated and accurate. This includes, but is not limited to, information such as:
- Calculated years of service
- Contact information
- TSP beneficiaries
- Performance appraisals are accurate and uploaded
- Veteran status
- Schedule A information
- Disability information
- Ensure the accuracy of your current and past federal appointments to positions (check your SF50’s)
This information, and more, may be relied upon in determining your Reduction in Force (RIF) status. If nothing else, erroneous or missing information could adversely affect future retirement calculations.
President Trump has also indicated his intention to reduce the compensation and benefits of remaining federal employees. Regrettably, federal employees have limited recourse in this matter. It is imperative that federal employees comprehend that the likelihood of receiving annual pay raises in the near term is significantly diminished. Furthermore, with projected agency reductions specifically targeting federal employee compensation and benefits, federal employees can reasonably anticipate the absence of performance awards in the foreseeable future and possible changes to processes concerning Within Grade Increases (WIGI).
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The contents of this website (InformedFED.com) are intended to convey general information only and not to provide legal advice or opinions. Consultants at InformedFED are not attorneys. They are senior level practitioners of employee labor relations and EEO. The contents of this website, and the posting and viewing of the information on this website, should not be construed as, and should not be relied upon for, legal or employment advice in any particular circumstance or situation. The information presented on this website may not reflect the most current legal or regulatory developments. No action should be taken in reliance on the information contained on this website and we disclaim all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents of this site to the fullest extent permitted by law. InformedFED is comprised of independent senior level practitioners and consultants who are not employees of InformedFED.