FAQ: The conservative attack on the merit-based civil service - CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Donald Trump issued an Executive Order that would have upended the federal government by creating a new job classification.

The Office of Personnel Management introduced a proposed rule in September aimed at enhancing the merit-based civil service and shielding career civil servants from future Schedule F proposals.

The Heritage Foundation has identified Schedule F as a key piece of a future presidential transition effort.

At the end of his term, former President Trump issued an executive order that would have effectively destroyed the merit-based civil service.

The order effectively proposed going back to the spoils system, where jobs depended on supporting a political party instead of skill and knowledge.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ultimately developed a rule that would enhance the merit system.

CREW: Protecting the merit system is one of the most important projects that the government can undertake in the next year .

OPM ’s rule would make it harder to dismantle the civil service, but the only way to completely stop a future president from dismantling the system is through legislation.