What the federal civil service is
The federal government employs about 2.3 million civilian workers across agencies ranging from the Social Security Administration to the National Park Service. The large majority are 'career' employees hired through competitive, merit-based processes, as opposed to political appointees who serve at the president's discretion. Career employees are expected to remain in their jobs across administrations and to carry out the policies of whoever is in office.
Where the rules come from
Modern civil-service protections trace to the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, which Congress passed after President James Garfield was assassinated by a disappointed office-seeker. The law shifted federal hiring away from the 'spoils system,' in which jobs were handed out as political rewards, toward competitive examinations and tenure based on performance.
The current framework was set by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which created the Office of Personnel Management, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Under that law, most career employees can be fired only 'for cause,' such as misconduct or poor performance, and are entitled to written notice, a chance to respond and the right to appeal a removal to the MSPB and ultimately the federal courts.
How long firing takes today
A 2015 report by the Government Accountability Office found that agencies typically took between six months and a year to remove a tenured employee for performance reasons, including time spent on improvement plans and appeals. Inspector general reports and congressional hearings have produced examples of employees remaining on payroll for extended periods while disciplinary cases worked through the system.
The June 2026 executive order
On June 3, 2026, President Donald Trump signed an executive order easing removal procedures for roughly 8,000 federal employees in senior career positions. The administration says the change is aimed at making it easier to discipline or dismiss senior officials whose performance or conduct it considers unsatisfactory, while leaving most rank-and-file employees under existing rules. The order builds on an earlier effort during Trump's first term to reclassify some career roles into a category with fewer job protections.
The case for easier firing
Supporters argue that the existing process is slow, paperwork-heavy and discourages managers from pursuing removals even in clear cases. They contend that elected presidents and their appointees need more authority to hold senior career officials accountable for carrying out the administration's agenda, and that taxpayers benefit when underperforming employees can be replaced more quickly. Some good-government advocates from across the political spectrum have also called for streamlining performance-based dismissals.
The case for keeping strong protections
Critics warn that loosening removal rules risks reviving elements of the spoils system by allowing presidents to dismiss career experts who disagree with them or who deliver unwelcome findings. Federal employee unions, professional associations and several Democratic state attorneys general argue that the June 2026 order conflicts with statutory protections set by Congress and have signaled court challenges. They say merit protections help ensure continuity, scientific independence and impartial administration of programs that span multiple administrations.
What to watch
Key questions include how courts will treat the executive order against the backdrop of the 1978 statute, whether Congress takes up legislation to expand or restrict at-will firing authority, and how agencies implement the new procedures in practice. The debate also touches broader questions about the balance between presidential control of the executive branch and the role of an independent, career civil service.