Labor Directives
Extension of Hiring Freeze
This April 17, 2025, presidential memorandum extends a freeze on hiring for federal civilian employees through July 15, 2025.
The freeze applies to all executive branch agencies, barring exceptions for national security, public safety, immigration enforcement and essential services.
Future hiring must comply with a merit-based hiring plan.
Contracting to circumvent the freeze is prohibited, and agencies are instructed to use existing personnel efficiently.
The memorandum also does not affect the deadline for a plan to reduce the federal workforce.
Exceptions may be granted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
The freeze will remain in effect for the IRS until the Treasury Secretary determines otherwise and publishes a notice in the Federal Register.
Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance
President [Name] issued an executive order aimed at restoring American maritime dominance.
The order directs several federal agencies to develop a comprehensive Maritime Action Plan to revitalize the nation's shipbuilding and maritime industries.
Key initiatives include strengthening the maritime industrial base, addressing unfair trade practices from China, increasing mariner training and education, modernizing the United States Merchant Marine Academy, improving government procurement efficiency, and establishing a Maritime Security Trust Fund.
The order also seeks to engage allies and partners to align trade policies, and reduce dependence on adversaries.
Nominations Sent to the Senate
The White House announced a series of nominations sent to the Senate for confirmation.
These nominations cover various key positions across several departments and agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Army, Navy, Veterans Affairs, Labor, and Commerce, as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The nominees include individuals slated for Assistant Secretary roles, Chief Financial Officer positions, Inspector General, United States Attorney roles for various districts, and other critical leadership positions.
Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs
- Foreign Policy
- Healthcare
- Economy
- Defense
- Energy
- Environment
- Labor
- Homeland
- Science
- Technology
- Trade
- Justice
- Veterans
- Agriculture
President Trump's March 27, 2025 executive order excludes numerous federal agencies and subdivisions from the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute.
The order claims this exclusion is necessary for national security reasons, impacting intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work.
It amends Executive Order 12171 and delegates authority to the Secretaries of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Transportation to make further exclusions.
The order also requires a review of agencies not currently excluded and mandates changes to related employee assignments and grievance processes.
Excluded agencies and subdivisions primarily serve roles within the Departments of State, Defense, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Justice, Homeland Security, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce, as well as several independent agencies.
This presidential memorandum delegates to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) the authority to make final suitability determinations for federal employees based on post-appointment conduct.
The OPM Director must then propose regulations amending existing rules to clarify this process and establish procedures for suitability actions, potentially including employee removal.
These regulations must also clarify requirements for agency referrals to OPM, and set a five-day compliance period for agency heads to adhere to OPM directives.
The memorandum aims to strengthen the suitability and fitness of the federal workforce.
Removing Discrimination and Discriminatory Equity Ideology From the Foreign Service
President Trump issued a memorandum to eliminate discrimination and what he terms “discriminatory equity ideology” from the Foreign Service. The memorandum directs the Secretary of State and other relevant Secretaries to revise hiring, promotion, and retention policies to be merit-based, prohibiting decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and the promotion of discriminatory equity ideology.
Existing criteria referencing ‘Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility’ are to be removed.
The Secretaries are tasked with investigating potential past discrimination and taking appropriate action.
Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy
- Foreign Policy
- Healthcare
- Economy
- Immigration
- Environment
- Labor
- Homeland
- Education
- Science
- Technology
- Justice
- Housing
This executive order directs the continued reduction of the federal bureaucracy by eliminating or significantly downsizing several governmental entities.
The order targets specific agencies, including the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the US Agency for Global Media, and others, instructing agency heads to submit reports detailing compliance within seven days.
Funding requests deemed inconsistent with the order's goals are to be rejected, while existing legal authorities are preserved.
The order explicitly states it does not create any legally enforceable rights.
Additional Recissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
- Foreign Policy
- Healthcare
- Civil Rights
- Economy
- Defense
- Energy
- Environment
- Labor
- Science
- Technology
- Trade
- Housing
President Trump issued an executive order revoking several executive orders, memoranda, and proclamations issued by the Biden administration.
The order focuses on restoring common sense to the federal government.
Specific actions revoked include those related to COVID-19 response, foreign policy workforce revitalization, LGBTQ+ human rights, minimum wage for federal contractors, energy supply interruption, infant formula supply, solar energy, insulation, electrolyzers, heat pumps, biotechnology, multiple Department of Defense supply chains, and worker empowerment.
The order emphasizes that it does not create any new legal rights or benefits.