President Donald Trump signed executive orders on Monday imposing a federal hiring freeze and forcing a full return to in-office work for government employees.
The freeze applies to all executive branch positions, except for military, national security, public safety, and immigration enforcement roles.
The ruling means no vacant jobs Monday can be filled, and no new positions may be created.
In some cases, department heads have some discretion to make exemptions.
The return-to-office order requires all federal employees to report to their duty stations full-time.
Agency leaders may grant exceptions as needed.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman quickly enforced the directive, ordering all DHS employees back to the office, according to ABC News.
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A Push Against Remote Work
Trump has repeatedly criticized remote work, warning last month that employees refusing to return to the office would be fired.
- Billionaire Elon Musk has also targeted remote work, calling it a “privilege” of the COVID-19 era.
- Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aims to reduce federal staffing through in-office requirements.
- In an op-ed last year, Musk and former DOGE co-head Vivek Ramaswamy predicted mandatory office attendance would trigger voluntary resignations, reducing government payrolls.
Ramaswamy, who recently left DOGE to run for governor of Ohio, was reportedly ousted by Musk after controversial comments about American work culture.
Schedule F Returns, Stripping Job Protections
Trump also reinstated Schedule F, a policy that reclassifies certain civil servants as political appointees, removing employment protections. The move is expected to allow the administration to replace career officials with loyalists and dismiss employees deemed “rogue bureaucrats.”
The classification makes it easier to fire government workers.
It aligns with Trump’s long-standing efforts to overhaul the federal workforce.
The Numbers Behind Remote Work
Despite claims that teleworking federal employees are inefficient, a report to Congress last year showed:
- Only 10% of federal employees worked fully remote.
- 54% (about 2.28 million workers) were already required to work in person.
Trump and Musk argue that eliminating remote work will boost efficiency and cut costs. Critics, however, warn that the changes could lead to staffing shortages and lower morale.
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What’s Next for Federal Workers?
With Trump’s orders now in effect, agencies must quickly adapt to the new restrictions.
The hiring freeze and return-to-office mandates could reshape the federal workforce, potentially leading to resignations and further staffing shake-ups. Whether these measures will improve efficiency or disrupt government operations remains to be seen.