Federal employees across the United States are facing a sweeping rollback of workplace protections as President Donald Trump continues a campaign to reduce the federal workforce and reshape the agencies designed to protect civil servants.
After tens of thousands of government workers were dismissed this year, many are now discovering it is harder than ever to challenge their terminations. Changes under Trump’s second term have weakened key oversight bodies and curtailed due process rights traditionally afforded to federal employees.
Among the most significant shifts is the transformation of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), an independent agency established after Watergate to protect the merit-based federal hiring system. Hampton Dellinger, a Biden-era appointee, was removed from his position after pushing back on mass firings and helping reinstate over 6,000 employees. Trump later appointed loyalists, who reversed the agency’s position and ceased support for reinstating dismissed probationary employees.
“These changes are stripping away the basic mechanisms of accountability,” said Skye Perryman, head of advocacy group Democracy Forward. “Employees are losing access to fair hearings and due process.”
The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), another key body responsible for adjudicating employee complaints, has been rendered ineffective due to the lack of a quorum after Trump dismissed Biden-appointed members. Without enough members, the board cannot issue final rulings, leaving thousands of complaints in limbo. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which oversees workplace discrimination claims, has also seen its functions limited.
Meanwhile, some terminated employees have turned to the courts. But even here, legal victories have been inconsistent. While several judges initially ruled in favor of fired workers, some of those decisions have been overturned on appeal, especially as conservative courts take up the cases.
Civil service unions, already weakened by a Trump executive order restricting collective bargaining, are struggling to support members. Union stewards report confusion among employees unsure of their rights or even whether they can speak to their representatives.
“This is unlike anything we’ve seen,” said Alex Berman, an IRS employee and union leader. “Without union support, many are left completely in the dark.”
As morale among federal workers declines, some advocacy groups are helping former employees transition into state and local government roles. CivicMatch, a platform supporting such workers, has seen a surge in interest from those seeking to continue public service elsewhere.
Still, many remain caught in bureaucratic limbo, waiting for answers or facing long court battles with uncertain outcomes. “It’s a crisis of confidence in the system,” said Caitlin Lewis, director of Work For America. “People don’t feel protected anymore.”
