This Presidential Action orders the implementation of Schedule Policy/Career within the excepted service for policy-influencing federal positions, citing the need to enhance accountability for employees in roles critical to the President's agenda.
The order amends numerous Civil Service Rules and previous Executive Orders, specifically detailing how existing policy-determining positions will be transferred into this new schedule, while also directing agencies to establish recognition programs, and mandating transparent notification procedures for affected employees.
Arguments For
The action enhances presidential accountability by allowing for the removal of employees in "policy-influencing positions" for misconduct or poor performance, which proponents argue is essential for an elected President to faithfully execute laws and priorities.
It seeks to address documented issues where supervisors find it difficult to remove underperforming or misconducting federal employees by making Schedule Policy/Career positions exempt from certain adverse action procedures.
The order promotes merit by requiring policy-influencing career positions to be filled based on merit while still ensuring high accountability, and it mandates agencies to recognize and reward outstanding work within this new schedule.
Amendments to Civil Service Rules and previous Executive Orders streamline the process for identifying and transferring specific policy-influencing positions into this new excepted service category.
Arguments Against
Transferring policy-influencing career positions into the excepted service through Schedule Policy/Career could weaken established merit system protections for civil servants, potentially leading to increased political influence or vulnerability to arbitrary removal.
Exempting these positions from standard adverse action procedures, intended to ensure due process, raises concerns about job security and fair labor practices for affected federal employees.
The directive to agencies to set aside specific bonus pools and create a new Presidential award program might divert resources or create inequities in employee compensation and recognition across the federal workforce.
The sweeping changes to existing rules (like Civil Service Rule I and Rule VI) and prior executive orders create immediate administrative uncertainty and necessitate rapid compliance (e.g., 7-day notification) for agencies and affected employees.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301, 3302, 5595 and 7511 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:
The President issues this order based on authority granted by the US Constitution and specific federal statutes, namely sections 3301, 3302, 5595, and 7511 of Title 5 of the United States Code, which pertain to the civil service.
Section 1. Purpose. The President relies on subordinates in the executive branch to help him faithfully execute the laws and advance the priorities for which he was elected by the American people. Officials in confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, and policy-advocating roles (policy-influencing positions) play particularly important roles in helping him fulfill this constitutional duty. Therefore, ensuring that such employees can be removed for misconduct or poor performance is essential to protecting democratic self-government by an elected President.
The first section outlines the core objective: to ensure the President can rely on executive branch subordinates to execute laws and advance priorities.
It identifies employees in "policy-influencing positions"—those involved in confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating roles—as crucial.
The purpose is to make sure these employees can be removed due to misconduct or poor performance, which the order frames as necessary for protecting democratic self-government under an elected President.
To enhance accountability in these policy-influencing positions, Executive Order 13957 of October 21, 2020 (Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service), as amended by Executive Order 14171 of January 20, 2025 (Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce), created Schedule Policy/Career in the excepted service. Schedule Policy/Career positions are policy-influencing career positions that will be filled based on merit and not political affiliation. At the same time, Schedule Policy/Career positions are exempted from the adverse action procedures that make removals for poor performance or misconduct so difficult that barely two-fifths of Federal supervisors believe they could remove subordinates who engage in serious misconduct, and only a quarter believe they could remove serious underperformers. Further, two-thirds of senior Federal executives report that their agencies rarely or never reassign or dismiss underperforming managers.
This paragraph explains that Schedule Policy/Career was established by previous executive orders (13957 and 14171) within the excepted service to increase accountability.
These positions are intended to be filled based on merit, not politics.
However, they are specifically exempted from standard adverse action procedures.
The justification provided cites internal findings noting that supervisors rarely feel capable of removing subordinates for serious misconduct or poor performance, indicating a perceived difficulty in enforcing accountability under current rules.
Senior policy-influencing positions must be transferred into Schedule Policy/Career to increase accountability in such positions. This order effectuates these transfers and amends the Civil Service Rules and Regulations and previous Executive Orders to implement Schedule Policy/Career. In addition to ensuring accountability for poor performance, this order also advances merit in the Federal civil service by directing executive departments and agencies (agencies) to appropriately recognize and reward Schedule Policy/Career employees for outstanding work.
The primary action is to transfer senior policy-influencing positions into Schedule Policy/Career to boost accountability.
This order achieves this transfer and makes necessary adjustments to the Civil Service Rules and prior Executive Orders to enact Schedule Policy/Career.
Beyond performance accountability, the order also aims to support federal merit principles by requiring agencies to establish mechanisms to recognize and reward high-performing employees in these positions.
Sec. 2. Amendments to the Civil Service Rules and Regulations. (a) Civil Service Rule I is amended by removing the text of 5 CFR 1.3(d) that follows the words “Provided, that an employee who is in the competitive service” and adding in its place “with competitive status at the time his position is first listed under Schedule A, B, C, Policy/Career or G shall be in the excepted service but shall retain his competitive status.”
Section 2 details changes to the Civil Service Rules.
Subsection (a) modifies Civil Service Rule I by revising the proviso in 5 CFR 1.3(d).
This change specifies that an employee already in the competitive service who is moved into a position listed under Schedule A, B, C, Policy/Career, or G will remain in the excepted service but will retain their prior competitive status.
(b) Civil Service Rule III is amended by adding at the end of 5 CFR 3.1(a) a new paragraph 5 that reads: “(5) An employee whose initial appointment was to a Pathways Program position in Schedule D of the excepted service, and who was subsequently converted to a position in Schedule Policy/Career, with or without an intervening term appointment, and without a break in service of one day.”
Subsection (b) amends Civil Service Rule III by adding a new provision to 5 CFR 3.1(a).
This new paragraph addresses employees who were initially appointed through the Pathways Program into Schedule D (another excepted service schedule) and then moved directly into a Schedule Policy/Career position without any break in service, treating this transition as a valid conversion.
(c) Civil Service Rule VI is amended as follows:
(i) 5 CFR 6.2 is amended by:
(A) revising the first sentence to read: “OPM shall publish at least annually a list of the positions excepted from the competitive service in the following schedules, which constitute parts of this rule:”; and
(B) revising the second sentence of the paragraph labeled “Schedule Policy/Career” to read: “In appointing an individual to a position in Schedule Policy/Career, each agency shall follow merit-based hiring procedures as may be prescribed by OPM and shall follow the principle of veteran preference as far as administratively feasible.”
(ii) 5 CFR 6.8 is amended by adding a new subsection (e) to read: “(e) An employee in the competitive service serving a probationary period when his position is first listed under Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service shall acquire competitive status upon satisfactorily completing 1 year of current continuous service in that position.”
Subsection (c) amends Civil Service Rule VI in two parts.
Subpart (i) revises 5 CFR 6.2, requiring the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to publish an annual list of excepted service positions, including those under Schedule Policy/Career.
It also directs that appointments to Schedule Policy/Career must follow OPM-prescribed merit procedures and adhere to veteran preference principles to the extent administratively practical.
Subpart (ii) adds a clause to 5 CFR 6.8 stating that a competitive service employee currently on probation who has their role moved into Schedule Policy/Career will gain competitive status after completing one continuous year in that position.
(d) Civil Service Rule XI is amended by revising 5 CFR 11.3(a) by removing the period at the end and inserting in its place the following text: “; provided that individuals appointed to positions in Schedule C, Schedule E, Schedule Policy/Career, and Schedule G are not subject to trial periods.”
Civil Service Rule XI is changed by amending 5 CFR 11.3(a).
This update stipulates that individuals appointed to positions under Schedule C, Schedule E, Schedule Policy/Career, and Schedule G are explicitly exempt from serving probationary or trial periods.
(e) Subsection (c) of the definition of “Qualifying appointment” at 5 CFR 550.703 is revised to read: “(c) An excepted appointment without time limitation, except under Schedule C or Schedule G, or another noncareer appointment.”
The definition of a "Qualifying appointment" in 5 CFR 550.703 is revised under subsection (e).
It now defines such an appointment as an excepted appointment without a time limit, excluding appointments under Schedule C or Schedule G, or any other non-career appointment.
(f) 5 CFR 550.704(b) is amended by striking “or” at the end of subparagraph (4), striking the period at the end of subparagraph (5) and inserting “; or” in its place, and adding a new subparagraph (6) as follows: “(6) Occupies a position in Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service and his or her agency identifies unacceptable performance or misconduct as the basis for separation in a written notice to the employee.”
Subsection (f) modifies 5 CFR 550.704(b) to include a new condition under which a separation may occur.
A new subparagraph (6) is added, stating that an employee occupying a Schedule Policy/Career position may be separated if the agency provides written notice identifying unacceptable performance or misconduct as the reason.
(g) Within 60 days of the date of this order the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall take steps to prepare and issue revisions that remove or update, as applicable, obsolete provisions of the Civil Service Rules that do not substantively affect agency operations.
The Director of OPM must, within 60 days of the order's signing, prepare and publish revisions to the Civil Service Rules.
These revisions are intended to remove or update obsolete provisions that do not significantly impact how agencies operate.
Sec. 3. Amendments to Executive Orders. (a) Executive Order 13957, as amended by Executive Order 14171, is further amended as follows:
(i) by removing the fourth paragraph of section 1; and
(ii) by amending section 5(a) by removing everything that follows “Following such reviews each agency head” and inserting in its place: “shall petition the Director to recommend that the President place in Schedule Policy/Career any such competitive service, Schedule A, Schedule B, or Schedule D positions within the agency that the agency head determines to be of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition. Any such petition shall include a written explanation documenting the basis for the agency head’s determination that such position should be placed in Schedule Policy/Career.”
Section 3 mandates changes to existing Executive Orders.
Subsection (a) amends Executive Order 13957 (which created related schedules).
It removes the fourth paragraph of Section 1.
Section 5(a) is modified to require agency heads, following internal reviews, to petition the OPM Director to recommend to the President that specific positions (from competitive service, Schedule A, B, or D) be placed in Schedule Policy/Career if they are policy-influencing and not typically changed during a Presidential transition.
These petitions must include written justifications.
(b) Executive Order 13562 of December 27, 2010 (Recruiting and Hiring Students and Recent Graduates), as amended by Executive Order 14217 of February 19, 2025 (Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy), is further amended by adding a new sentence at the end of section 5(c): “Such career appointments may include positions in Schedule Policy/Career, subject to review by OPM.”
Subsection (b) revises Executive Order 13562 concerning the hiring of students and recent graduates.
A new sentence is added to Section 5(c) stipulating that career appointments made under that order may include positions within Schedule Policy/Career, contingent upon review by OPM.
Sec. 4. Performance Awards. (a) Consistent with 5 CFR Part 451 and applicable law, the head of each agency with employees in Schedule Policy/Career is directed to set aside a separate bonus pool, and use existing award authorities, to ensure that Schedule Policy/Career employees are appropriately recognized and rewarded for outstanding work.
Section 4 focuses on recognizing high performance for employees in Schedule Policy/Career.
Subsection (a) directs agency heads, consistent with current regulations (5 CFR Part 451) and law, to create a separate bonus pool and utilize available award authority to ensure employees in this schedule receive appropriate recognition and rewards for superior work.
(b) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall promptly initiate a rulemaking pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 4504 and 4506 to create a Presidential award program for Schedule Policy/Career employees.
Subsection (b) mandates that the Director of OPM must promptly start the formal rulemaking process.
This rulemaking, based on authorities provided in 5 U.S.C. 4504 and 4506, is specifically required to establish a new Presidential award program tailored for employees in Schedule Policy/Career.
Sec. 5. Schedule Policy/Career Determination and Transfer. (a) The positions set forth in the Appendix to this order are determined to have a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character. It is further determined that it is necessary and warranted by conditions of good administration to except these positions from the competitive service because of their confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character.
Section 5 addresses the identification and official placement of positions.
Subsection (a) formally determines that the specific positions listed in the order's Appendix possess a confidential, policy-influencing nature.
It further concludes that administrative necessity, relating to good governance, justifies removing these specific positions from the competitive service.
(b) The positions set forth in the Appendix to this order are hereby placed in Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service. Subsequent changes to a listed position description’s numbering or a position’s organizational realignment do not alter its placement in Schedule Policy/Career.
Subsection (b) officially places the Appendix positions into Schedule Policy/Career within the excepted service. Furthermore, it clarifies that administrative changes to a position's organizational structure or title numbering will not remove that position from its Schedule Policy/Career designation.
(c) The head of each agency with positions covered by subsection (b) of this section shall within 7 days of the date of this order:
(i) notify officers or employees encumbering such positions of their placement in Schedule Policy/Career; and
(ii) conform agency records and practices to reflect the changes made by this order.
Subsection (c) imposes immediate administrative requirements on agency heads overseeing positions transferred to Schedule Policy/Career.
Within seven days of the order date, agencies must notify the affected officers or employees about their new schedule status and update all internal records and operational practices to reflect the mandates of this order.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
Section 6 outlines general rules for interpreting the order.
Subsection (a) ensures that the order does not limit or override existing legal authority given to executive departments, agencies, or their heads.
It also preserves the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget concerning budget, administration, and legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
This mandates that the execution of the order must comply with all relevant laws and depends on whether Congress appropriates the necessary funds.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Subsection (c) is a standard non-creation of rights clause.
It clarifies that this order does not create any legally enforceable substantive or procedural rights or benefits for any individual or entity against the United States government or its personnel.
(d) If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of any of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
Subsection (d) contains a severability clause.
If any part of this order is legally invalidated for any person or situation, the remaining parts of the order will continue to be valid and applicable to other persons or circumstances.
(e) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Office of Personnel Management.
The final provision assigns responsibility for covering the administrative costs associated with publishing this Presidential Action to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
This reference directs the reader to a separate, linked PDF document which contains the specific list of positions being designated under the new Schedule Policy/Career.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
June 3, 2026.
This section provides the signing authority and date.
The document is signed by Donald J. Trump at The White House on June 3, 2026.
The post Implementing Schedule Policy/Career in the Excepted Service appeared first on The White House.
This text is standard website footer/attribution information, indicating where the content was originally posted online.
Related
Strengthening Customs Enforcement
* The President directed comprehensive reforms to customs enforcement by increasing IOR accountability, restricting foreign IOR access to informal entry, mandating supply chain disclosures, and establishing enhanced vetting and penalty standards.
Read MorePromoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security
* The President ordered the enhancement of governmental cyber defenses, established protocols for monitoring advanced AI models, and prioritized enforcement against criminal misuse of artificial intelligence.
Read MoreNominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate
* The President transmitted numerous nominations for ambassadorships and domestic posts to the Senate for confirmation and simultaneously withdrew one prior nomination.
Read MoreApproving Critical Position Pay Authority for National Security Investment Workforce
* The President approved critical position pay authority for up to 400 federal positions to support national security investment programs, enabling salaries up to $400,000 to secure expert talent in critical minerals and supply chains.
Read More