White House proposes stricter rules for federal worker appeals processes

Federal Employees’ Appeal Process to be Streamlined by OPM

A proposal by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) aims to modify the process for federal employees seeking to challenge their terminations. Under the plan, workers would no longer have the option to appeal directly to an independent review board, known as the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Instead, they would be required to submit their appeals to OPM.

The MSPB has been in place since 1978 and serves as a mediator between federal workers and the government. However, the board’s caseload increased by 266 percent between October 2024 and September 2025, following President Trump’s administration. The proposal would build on this trend, allowing OPM to handle appeals more efficiently.

The plan is part of a broader effort by the administration to reduce the federal workforce and limit workers’ ability to challenge decisions. Last year, roughly 317,000 federal employees were forced out. A separate proposal announced last week would reclassify high-level career civil servants as “at will” employees, giving the administration more authority to fire officials who do not align with its agenda.

According to an OPM spokesperson, the new rule would replace a slow and costly process with a single, streamlined review led by OPM experts. This change is intended to allow agencies to restructure without years of litigation, while providing faster and fairer resolution for employees in cases where mistakes occur.

The proposal comes as the administration has sought to remove certain individuals from their positions without just cause. For example, the White House has been attempting to fire US Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over alleged mortgage fraud. The case is currently before the Supreme Court, with a decision pending.

Source: Al Jazeera