In a recent email dispatched by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), federal employees have been asked to summarize their work from the previous week. This directive, which has raised eyebrows and prompted pushback from labor unions, requires employees to submit approximately five bullet points detailing their accomplishments and to cc their managers in the correspondence.
The email, sent as part of the Trump Administration's broader effort for an efficient and accountable federal workforce, does not explicitly threaten resignation, although it comes on the heels of a more aggressive communication from tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. Sources familiar with the matter reported that federal employees began receiving this email earlier this week, igniting discussions around the implications of such a request.
According to OPM spokesperson McLaurine Pinover, the intent of this inquiry is to enhance transparency and productivity within federal agencies. In her statement, she noted that “as part of the Trump Administration’s commitment to an efficient and accountable federal workforce, OPM is asking employees to provide a brief summary of what they did last week by the end of Monday, cc’ing their manager. Agencies will determine any next steps.”
However, the email has faced significant criticism from several quarters. The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), representing members at various federal agencies, including the FDA's headquarters, has strongly advised its members against responding. An NTEU chapter asserted, “We work for HHS/FDA, not OPM: OPM directives that have not been formally adopted or communicated by our employer, the FDA, do not create an obligation for you to respond.”
Adding to the confusion, FBI Director Kash Patel instructed his employees to "pause any responses" to the OPM email. This instruction was echoed by officials from other agencies, including the State Department and the National Institutes of Health, who advised their personnel not to engage with the request. Ambassador Tibor P. Nagy of the State Department emphasized that “no employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command.”
With over 3 million individuals employed by the federal government as of November 2024, according to Pew Research Center, this email effectively reached a wide audience. The timing of this communication raises questions about its alignment with the Trump Administration’s ongoing initiatives to streamline government operations, which have included proposals for mass federal layoffs and agency restructuring.
While the OPM email does not explicitly state that noncompliance would lead to forced resignation, it nonetheless aligns with comments made by Musk regarding employee accountability. Musk stated via social media that “failure to respond will be taken as a resignation,” which has elicited sharp criticism from various political figures. Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) characterized Musk's approach as “illegal, reckless, and yet another example of the cruel and arbitrary chaos Mr. Musk is inflicting on the people’s government and its dedicated public servants.” He further urged clarification that nonresponse does not equate to resignation.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, expressed frustration over the situation. He remarked that “once again, Elon Musk and the Trump Administration have shown their utter disdain for federal employees and the critical services they provide to the American people.”
This unfolding scenario highlights a growing tension between government accountability measures and employee rights within the federal workforce. As federal employees navigate these new requests for reporting their work activities, unions and advocacy groups remain vigilant in protecting their interests against what they perceive as overreach by administration officials.
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