Schedule F

Thousands of Health and Human Services Department staff have had their employment status changed to a designation that allows easier termination, increasing vulnerability to political pressure from the White House. The reclassification, part of an executive order by President Trump, aims to shift power toward the executive branch by creating a new class of at-will federal employees.

The White House reclassified federal epidemiologists and scientists as 'at-will' hires through a 'Schedule F' order, removing job protections designed to prevent political interference in federal employment.

President Trump signed an executive order to move career federal workers into 'at will' roles under Schedule Policy/Career (P/C), a policy previously introduced as Schedule F. Critics argue this change would make these workers similar to political employees, affecting approximately 8,000 federal workers.