The federal government's human resources office has put forward a plan that would narrow the legal avenues available to employees who are dismissed from federal service. Under the proposal, federal workers would no longer be able to contest their terminations before the independent Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Instead, appeals would be made to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), whose director answers directly to the U.S. president.
OPM characterizes the change as an adjustment to the review process, but the proposal would effectively replace an independent adjudicative forum with one that is part of the executive branch reporting line. Advocates for affected employees have raised concerns that moving appeals to OPM could reduce the independence of reviews of dismissals.
The proposal is presented in the context of an administration that has prioritized reductions in federal employment. Senior officials have framed workforce downsizing as a central element of the administration's second-term agenda, including a push for broad personnel reductions. At the same time, the administration has taken actions that limit enforcement paths for workers contesting adverse personnel actions, including moves to remove officials from bodies that provide job protections and oversight.
OPM's director reported late last year that 317,000 federal employees were pushed out in 2025. The director said only a portion of that total were dismissed, with most departing via buyouts or voluntary exits. That public statement has not been independently verified.
The MSPB currently serves as the forum that mediates disputes between federal employees and their agencies. The proposed shift of appeal jurisdiction to OPM would change the first line of review for dismissed workers and alter the institutional balance between an independent board and an executive branch office.
Summary
OPM has proposed removing the right of fired federal employees to appeal dismissals to the independent MSPB, redirecting those appeals to OPM. The change comes amid a broader effort by the administration to reduce federal headcount and limit enforcement mechanisms for employee protections. OPM reported that 317,000 federal employees were pushed out in 2025, while noting most left voluntarily or via buyouts; that figure has not been independently confirmed.