Trump administration tells agencies to begin conducting reductions in force
The RIFs directive from the White House is the latest step the Trump administration has taken to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
The White House is directing agencies to start the process of making even deeper cuts to the federal workforce by conducting large-scale reductions in force (RIFs).
In a memo published Wednesday morning, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought told executive branch agencies to begin developing “agency RIF and reorganization plans.”
Agencies are directed to submit by March 13 their plans, which would not only lay off employees but eliminate the position altogether. The result could be extensive changes in how government functions.
Vought’s instructions to agencies emphasize keeping agency functions that are statutorily required, while calling for a reduction of “duplicative” or “non-critical” offices, and a consolidation of “unnecessary” layers of management.
Agencies are also being told to work with the Department of Government Efficiency as they develop their RIF plans.
“The federal government is costly, inefficient and deeply in debt,” Vought wrote in the memo. “At the same time, it is not producing results for the American public.”
The directive on reductions in force is the latest step the Trump administration has taken to reduce the size of the federal workforce. It comes after the administration implemented a hiring freeze, asked for federal employees to accept an offer of a “deferred resignation,” and began conducting layoffs of thousands of probationary employees governmentwide.
Wednesday’s memo from OMB tells agencies to begin conducting RIFs in two phases. The first phase focuses on “initial agency cuts and reductions,” and calls on agencies to detail various office functions to determine where employee cuts should be made, and what components should be “eliminated or consolidated.”
OMB said it expects agencies to see a reduction in the overall size of the federal workforce through the current hiring freeze and “regular” attrition, as well as through the administration’s changes to performance and conduct standards and the coming reductions in force.
For phase two of the RIF, the Trump administration is directing agencies to take action on their planned cuts to create what Vought said would be “more productive, efficient agency operations.”
By April 14, agencies have to provide detailed organizational charts of their offices and employees, depicting where they plan to reduce headcounts. Agencies also have to share which components will be absorbing the work of other offices that are eliminated.
The memo additionally tells agencies to identify any provisions of collective bargaining agreements that would “inhibit” the RIFs, and their plans to renegotiate those contract provisions.
Agencies will have to submit monthly updates to OMB and the Office of Personnel Management on their progress toward implementing RIFs until the final deadline of Sept. 30 to complete their RIFs.
RIFs, however, may take longer than the Trump administration’s expectations. Former federal officials who have previously conducted RIFs say they are a complex process that can take a year or longer to complete. Prior RIFs also haven’t led to the desired results of cutting costs and improving efficiency. Instead, RIFs often end up worsening agency productivity, workforce morale and the ability to meet mission.
Several agencies have already taken steps to start conducting RIFs. OPM, for instance, told employees this week that it’s currently working on a reduction in force.
The General Services Administration told employees on Monday that a reduction in force was underway and they would “everything in our power to make your departure fair and dignified.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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