Up next in 10
Achieving Government Efficiency and Workforce Optimization Using RIFs, Hiring Restrictions
7K views
Feb 13, 2025
President Trump has issued an Executive Order launching a Workforce Optimization Initiative aimed at reducing the size of the federal workforce and streamlining government operations. This video breaks down the key steps in this process, including agency restructuring, efficiency measures, and workforce reductions. Additionally, the Order directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to implement new rules ensuring that federal employees are held to high standards of conduct and accountability. Watch to learn how these changes may impact federal agencies and employees. Related Articles New Executive Order: Government Efficiency and Workforce Optimization https://www.fedsmith.com/2025/02/12/executive-order-government-efficiency-workforce-optimization/ Judge Keeps Buyout Offer on Hold https://www.fedsmith.com/2025/02/10/judge-keeps-buyout-offer-on-hold/ Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:44 What's Going on With Deferred Resignation Offer? 5:17 New Executive Order 8:00 Guidance for Agencies 8:56 Reduction in Force (RIF) 11:21 Suitability Criteria for Federal Employees 13:17 EO Fact Sheet
View Video Transcript
0:00
my name is Ralph Smith I'm a frequent
0:02
writer with fedsmith.com and the purpose
0:06
of the video today is actually twofold
0:10
the first thing and I guess the primary
0:12
objective is to talk about the new
0:14
executive order that President Trump has
0:17
just issued and second I was going to
0:20
briefly talk about what's going on
0:23
generally with deferred resignation that
0:25
part won't take long but we've had a
0:27
couple of questions from people and will
0:30
address those I'm going to start with
0:32
that and then get into the executive
0:34
order which is frankly a lot more
0:36
complex and a little bit longer than you
0:38
might expect in terms of the substance
0:41
if not the length or the number of
0:42
sheets of paper that it takes the new
0:44
executive order is called implementing
0:47
the president's Department of government
0:49
efficiency and Workforce organization
0:53
initiative so that's it and the
0:55
questions we've got basically come from
0:57
people who said we were offered deferred
1:00
resignation and something like 65,000
1:04
people have signed up for it uh it's
1:06
been delayed we don't know what's going
1:08
to happen we don't know how many courts
1:10
are involved but for some of us we're
1:13
not in a bargaining unit the union
1:15
doesn't represent us but were affected
1:17
by the delay or perhaps the cancellation
1:20
of the Deferred resignation we had in
1:23
some cases worked out something where we
1:25
thought this is a great chance uh I'm
1:28
eligible to retire I can leave early and
1:30
still get more credit for my
1:33
retirement until September 30th which is
1:36
when the Deferred resignation period
1:38
ended in other cases the person was
1:41
saying I've got 10 years I've got 15
1:43
years and I had worked out because I saw
1:46
this coming that I have a chance to
1:48
leave my government job still get paid
1:51
and go to work for a private employer
1:54
and it gives me some time to work things
1:55
through to make sure this is going to
1:58
work out for me with this new job
2:00
now it seems like everything's on the
2:02
back burner who's representing those of
2:05
us who took the Deferred resignation
2:07
offer and now that it's in limbo what do
2:11
we do well in first as far as who
2:15
represents you as you probably noticed
2:17
uh the union represents people in the
2:19
bargaining unit and the unions are going
2:21
to do what they do which in this case is
2:23
basically file a lawsuit on each new
2:26
step in the process with each major step
2:29
anyway as far as who represents you if
2:32
your interests are different than that
2:33
the answer is yourself I suppose if
2:37
50,000 people wrote to this judge in
2:39
Massachusetts and said I don't like what
2:41
you're doing let this go through so we
2:43
can take advantage of it maybe that
2:46
would have an impact the reality is
2:48
nobody's organizing an effort like that
2:50
so you're just kind of on the sidelines
2:52
watching the only advice I can offer
2:55
from having seen this happen in various
2:57
agencies over the years is look at out
3:00
for yourself and I'll explain what's
3:02
going to happen in more detail with the
3:04
new executive order although frankly
3:06
none of it's a surprise OPM said this
3:09
was going to happen now it's happening
3:11
we don't know what's going to happen
3:13
with the Deferred resignation offer uh
3:17
the judge has put it in limbo uh not
3:20
surprisingly in the initial court case
3:22
there's a lot of forum shopping that
3:24
goes on it's probably not a big surprise
3:27
to anyone who follows this that the wor
3:30
case is coming out from a court in
3:32
Massachusetts perhaps the most liberal
3:34
state in the country so the person
3:37
filing the lawsuit the organization
3:39
filing the lawsuit tends to pick a court
3:42
and perhaps a judge they might get that
3:46
has a chance of giving them what they
3:48
want out of it now if they cancel it
3:51
those of you who took the resonation are
3:54
going to have to wait around because
3:56
regardless of how it comes out there's
3:58
likely to be an appeal it's likely to
4:00
get to the Supreme Court eventually but
4:03
you're talking about a period of
4:06
months realistically the Supreme Court
4:09
does have an expedited process for
4:11
taking cases they don't use it very
4:13
often and frankly I don't know that they
4:15
would ever consider using it in this
4:17
case it's more of an internal government
4:19
matter although it affects obviously
4:21
hundreds of thousands maybe millions of
4:23
people but that's where it stands you're
4:26
kind of in limbo now for the next step
4:29
oh M said when they issued deferred
4:31
resignation offer that if you don't take
4:35
this offer you're going to see a lot of
4:37
changes in government and this new
4:39
executive order that came out yesterday
4:41
from president Trump explains what some
4:45
of these changes are going to be at
4:46
least in a broad sense I'm sure that OPM
4:49
will be coming out officer personnel
4:51
management will be coming out with more
4:53
specific guidance telling agencies we
4:55
are requiring reports from you on
4:58
several different things here's the
4:59
deadline here's what the reports have to
5:01
contain Etc as of this recording that's
5:05
not out we'll probably do another one
5:07
once we see what that guidance says uh
5:10
and when it comes out which will
5:11
probably be in the very near future
5:13
based on the speed with which the
5:14
government is handling this process on
5:17
to the executive order broadly it does
5:19
several things first agency heads are
5:22
going to coordinate with Doge to shrink
5:24
the federal Workforce and limit hiring
5:27
now some of you don't like Doge some of
5:29
you think it's doing a great thing well
5:32
doesn't make too much difference but
5:34
what they're saying is agencies are
5:36
going to be working with the
5:37
representative in your agency from the
5:40
Department of government efficiency to
5:43
try and limit the size of the workforce
5:45
into a greater extent also Li limiting
5:47
or getting rid of some of the functions
5:50
your agency may be doing right now which
5:53
are not designated by Statute but it be
5:55
put into place by executive action of
5:58
One S one kind or another OPM is going
6:00
to initiate rul making to ensure federal
6:02
employees are held to high conduct
6:05
standards and I'll get into that in more
6:07
detail in just a minute and the purpose
6:10
of the executive order is to
6:11
significantly reduce the size of the
6:13
federal Workforce so that's where this
6:16
is coming from the purpose of the
6:17
executive order according to the order
6:19
itself is to eliminate waste and bloat
6:22
in government as you seen if you watch
6:24
the news recently especially some
6:27
stations more than others doge is
6:29
finding out a number of things involving
6:32
where government money is going and in
6:34
many cases it may be going to our
6:36
enemies people that want to do harm to
6:38
the United States but we're paying them
6:40
to do something one of the things that
6:42
will affect some of you uh especially
6:45
when I think the number of retirements
6:47
are going to be going up we had an
6:49
article that just appeared this week
6:51
showing that the start of the new year
6:53
there's a 68% increase in the backlog of
6:56
processing retirement applications for
6:59
the federal government and obviously the
7:01
number of people retiring with all this
7:03
going on is going up one of the things
7:06
that Doge has found is that the maximum
7:08
number of retirements the government can
7:10
process in any period short period of
7:14
time is 10,000 and they say the reason
7:17
for that is that OPM keeps a lot of
7:20
Records in a mine in boers Pennsylvania
7:23
and the maximum that they can handle
7:25
because it's all done manually instead
7:27
of by computers is 10, ,000 in a month
7:31
so that means even if you are eligible
7:33
to retire you submit your paperwork it
7:36
may take longer than usual we'll have to
7:39
see what happens but that seems like the
7:40
most likely scenario so the first issue
7:44
supposedly directed at waste and bloat
7:47
in government second is empowering
7:50
American families and taxpayers and
7:52
finally empowering our system of
7:54
government I'm just taking that from the
7:56
executive order itself as to why it was
7:58
being issued by President Trump now
8:00
what's the guidance for agencies to
8:02
reduce government size there's several
8:05
aspects of this first is hiring the
8:07
hiring ratio for most agencies for every
8:10
four employees who quit resignation they
8:14
just quit walk away whatever they do the
8:17
agency will be able to hire one so
8:20
obviously that's going to reduce the
8:21
size of government second as hiring
8:24
approval be required agency is supposed
8:26
to develop with the Doge person or the
8:29
Doge leader assigned to their agency to
8:31
hire new career appointments to make
8:34
sure that they're really necessary and
8:36
that they're going into the places that
8:37
the agency needs that expertise the most
8:41
and finally hiring restrictions Doge
8:44
will will determine what jobs need to be
8:47
filled and which ones don't now that can
8:50
be overridden by the agency head but
8:52
doge is going to play a role in the
8:55
initial hiring process the new executive
8:58
order also specifically references
9:00
reductions in force or riff as it's
9:03
called in the government we knew this
9:06
was coming this executive order pretty
9:09
much lays out that it's going to be a
9:11
key piece of making the government more
9:13
efficient or more specifically reducing
9:15
the size of government it anticipates
9:18
large scale reductions and agencies are
9:21
being directed to start preparing to
9:23
implement these Rifts that's why I think
9:26
OPM is going to be coming out with more
9:28
specific information information for
9:30
agencies on how to actually go through
9:32
the preparation process or what
9:34
information OPM needs in order to report
9:38
on what's going on in the government to
9:40
implement this executive order it also
9:43
specifically mentions in the executive
9:44
order that temporary employees and
9:47
reemployed annuitant to be separated in
9:50
other words people if you're a temporary
9:52
employee or reemployed annuan before the
9:55
rift starts you're probably going to be
9:58
separated first that just what the
10:02
executive order appears to be saying and
10:04
we anticipate that will probably happen
10:07
a riff priority in other words where are
10:10
the priorities that agencies will have
10:12
to implement these riffs they're going
10:15
to start with organizations that are
10:17
suspended or closed by the Trump
10:19
Administration this could be a portion
10:21
of an agency it could be a large portion
10:24
of an agency in some cases perhaps it
10:27
could be the whole agency we don't know
10:29
if an agency is established by law they
10:32
can't just be cre uncreated disappeared
10:36
by executive order but it could be a
10:38
good part of an agency was not created
10:40
by Statute functions not mandated by law
10:43
in other words if your agency is
10:45
providing a service a function it
10:48
doesn't do this as a result of a law
10:50
that was passed but it happened as a
10:52
result of accumulation of Duties
10:54
executive action or whatever over time
10:56
then that would be eliminated and
10:59
finally people not designated as
11:01
essential during an Appropriations lapse
11:03
are going to be considered priority to
11:06
be leaving the agency during a riff if
11:09
you're non-essential employee during a
11:11
lapse in government Appropriations under
11:14
this executive order you're being
11:16
singled out for advanced treatment or
11:18
special treatment unfortunately not in a
11:20
good way suitability criteria for
11:23
federal employees is also mentioned
11:25
specifically in the executive order and
11:28
again OPM mentioned this with regard to
11:30
its deferred resignation order now it's
11:33
just getting to be a little bit more
11:35
specific at what they mean by
11:36
suitability criteria starts out by
11:39
mentioning taxes if you haven't filed
11:41
your tax returns in a timely way if
11:44
you're late paying your taxes you're
11:46
going to be a target for removal as
11:48
being unsuitable as a federal employee
11:51
citizenship requirements doesn't really
11:53
say what this means my guess is it helps
11:56
to be an American may have to be an
11:58
American
12:00
uh to be a federal employee in most jobs
12:03
that are existing in government refusing
12:06
to certify compliance with
12:07
non-disclosure obligations in other
12:09
words if you own stock in a company and
12:13
your agency has something to do with
12:16
regulating that company in some way you
12:19
are presumably going to be disclosing
12:21
that so that your ethics advisor could
12:23
look at it and say this is a problem
12:25
it's not a problem you're okay you're
12:27
not okay if you just don't disclose it
12:29
you're going to be in trouble you'd be
12:31
considered an unsuitable federal
12:33
employee feeling to follow compliance
12:35
obligations you know what they are you
12:37
should have known what they are you
12:38
didn't follow it you didn't disclose
12:40
your assets or your Holdings that could
12:42
create a conflict of interest for you
12:45
that would make you unsuitable as a
12:46
federal employee and you can be removed
12:49
and finally theft or misuse of
12:51
government resources and Equipment now
12:54
that isn't a new requirement but they're
12:56
emphasizing it probably presum
12:59
so that you would be terminated quicker
13:02
with the same regulatory uh rights you
13:05
have if you're fired but it's probably
13:07
going to happen quicker uh without as
13:10
much investigation once they confirm
13:13
that you have engaged in those kind of
13:16
activities finally there's a fat sheet
13:18
that accompanies its executive order and
13:21
some of this actually this last section
13:23
it's all taken from the fat sheet first
13:25
it says there's too many federal
13:27
employees it says roughly 2.4 million
13:30
including the Postal Service they want
13:32
to reduce that number it doesn't say to
13:34
what just says there's too many there's
13:37
an unknown number of federal agencies
13:39
the Federal Register lists over 400 but
13:42
it depends on how you count them is this
13:44
organization part of an agency is it a
13:47
separate agency it's not really known
13:50
how to count it so we don't know exactly
13:52
what the number should be because we're
13:54
not sure how to count it they want to
13:56
eliminate some of these agencies federal
13:58
work of course contribut significantly
14:00
to federal spending and debt and they
14:02
specifically mentioned in fiscal year
14:05
2022 $300 billion dollar was spent on
14:08
compensation for civilian employees
14:11
excluding pensions and they want to
14:13
reduce that expense by reducing the
14:16
number of federal employees so in a
14:19
nutshell that's what this new executive
14:21
order says uh that's the highlight of it
14:25
uh for your information as I mentioned a
14:27
couple of times OPM will be coming out
14:30
I'm quite confident with more specific
14:32
information for your agency as to what
14:35
has to be done to meet the requirements
14:37
of this executive order numerous rules
14:40
and regulations are in effect you can't
14:42
just start a whiff a riff on a whim on a
14:45
Monday and have it starting to take
14:48
place on Tuesday or Wednesday it's a
14:50
complex process it's unpleasant for
14:52
everybody usually uh obviously it's
14:55
unpleasant for the people being
14:57
terminated it's also unpleasant for
14:59
those in administration Human Resources
15:01
Etc and there will be appeals now the
15:05
appeals are different than if you're
15:06
fired because of misconduct or poor
15:08
performance but there are still appeals
15:11
and of course part of the Deferred
15:12
resignation was to eliminate some of the
15:14
appeals by having people voluntarily
15:17
resign giving them some financial
15:19
advantage by keeping them on the roles
15:21
until September as a result of what's
15:24
going on in the courts that part of the
15:26
plan may be changed we just don't know
15:29
in any event that's the current status
15:32
we wish you the best we hope that you
15:33
are able to make a good decision for
15:35
yourself your family and we wish you
15:38
luck in your federal career or wherever
15:41
your future career may be thank you for
15:43
watching and listening we have more
15:45
information on the fedsmith.com website
15:48
about this executive order with links to
15:51
that and to the fact sheet thank you for
15:53
watching
#Government
#Other
#Public Policy