Ensuring Continued Accountability in Federal Hiring

10/15/2025
Executive Orders

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Action Summary

  • Background: Over the past 8 months, the Administration substantially reduced the Federal workforce—achieving a departure-to-hire ratio exceeding Executive Order 14210—to improve service delivery and support priorities such as national security, immigration enforcement, and public safety.
  • Federal Hiring Policies:
    • Merit Hiring Plan Compliance: All federal hiring must align with the Merit Hiring Plan developed under prior Executive Orders.
    • Strategic Hiring Committees: Each agency is required to establish a committee within 30 days, including senior officials, to oversee all vacancy approvals and ensure alignment with national interests and Administration priorities, with written notifications to OPM.
    • Annual Staffing Plans and Quarterly Updates: Agencies must submit an Annual Staffing Plan, coordinated with OPM and OMB, within 60 days and provide quarterly updates, ensuring hires address high-need areas, reduce duplicative roles, and maintain operational efficiency.
  • Exceptions:
    • Excludes positions within the Executive Office of the President, non-career appointments requiring Senate confirmation, Senior Executive Service, Schedule C/G, military personnel, and roles tied to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety.
    • Allows hiring through temporary organization hiring authority and retains previously granted exemptions by OPM.
  • Reporting Requirement: The Director of OMB and the Director of OPM must submit a joint report to the President within 180 days, including recommendations on modifying or terminating provisions.
  • General Provisions:
    • Implementation must comply with existing law and is contingent on available appropriations.
    • Prohibits contracting outside of the Federal Government to circumvent the order’s intent.
    • Ensures essential services like Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ benefits remain unaffected.
    • Contains non-waivable enforcement rights and a severability clause, with publication costs borne by OPM.

Risks & Considerations

  • The Executive Order imposes strict limitations on federal hiring, which could lead to a reduction in available federal positions for graduates, potentially impacting Vanderbilt University students seeking federal employment.
  • With a focus on national security, immigration enforcement, and public safety, there may be a shift in federal funding priorities that could affect research grants and partnerships with federal agencies, particularly in areas not aligned with these priorities.
  • The establishment of Strategic Hiring Committees and the requirement for Annual Staffing Plans may slow down the hiring process, affecting the timeliness of employment opportunities for graduates.
  • Vanderbilt University may need to adjust its career services and advising to better prepare students for a more competitive federal job market, emphasizing skills and experiences that align with the Administration’s priorities.

Impacted Programs

  • Career Services at Vanderbilt may need to enhance its support for students interested in federal careers, providing guidance on navigating the new hiring landscape and identifying alternative career paths.
  • Research Departments may experience changes in funding opportunities, particularly if federal grants are reallocated to align with national security and public safety priorities.
  • The Office of Federal Relations might need to engage more actively with federal agencies to understand the implications of the hiring freeze and advocate for continued support of university programs.
  • Programs related to public policy, national security, and immigration may see increased interest and demand, potentially requiring expansion or additional resources.

Financial Impact

  • The reallocation of federal resources towards national security and public safety could impact the availability of research funding for other areas, necessitating a strategic shift in grant applications and partnerships.
  • Vanderbilt University may need to explore alternative funding sources to compensate for potential reductions in federal support for research and development in non-priority areas.
  • There could be increased competition for federal grants and contracts, requiring more robust proposal development and collaboration with other institutions or private sector partners.
  • Changes in federal hiring practices may affect the university’s ability to place graduates in federal positions, potentially impacting tuition revenue if prospective students perceive reduced career opportunities.

Relevance Score: 3 (The order presents moderate risks involving compliance and potential impacts on federal employment opportunities for graduates.)

Key Actions

  • Vanderbilt’s Human Resources Department should review and align its hiring practices with the new federal guidelines to ensure compliance and optimize staffing strategies. This includes understanding the implications of the Merit Hiring Plan and the role of Strategic Hiring Committees.
  • The Office of Federal Relations should monitor updates from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding Annual Staffing Plans and any potential exemptions that may impact university operations or partnerships with federal agencies.
  • Vanderbilt’s Research Administration should assess the impact of federal hiring policies on research funding and collaborations, particularly in areas related to national security, public safety, and other high-priority fields identified by the administration.
  • The Department of Political Science could conduct research on the broader implications of federal workforce reductions and strategic hiring practices, providing insights that could inform university policy and public discourse.

Opportunities

  • The executive order presents an opportunity for Vanderbilt’s Career Center to develop programs that prepare students for careers in high-need areas prioritized by the federal government, such as national security and public safety.
  • Vanderbilt can leverage its expertise in public policy and administration to offer consulting services or training programs to federal agencies adapting to the new hiring policies, enhancing the university’s reputation and influence in government circles.

Relevance Score: 3 (Some adjustments are needed to processes or procedures to align with federal hiring policies and capitalize on related opportunities.)

Average Relevance Score: 3.8

Timeline for Implementation

  • Within 30 days from the date of this order: Agency heads must establish Strategic Hiring Committees (Sec. 2(b)).
  • Within 60 days from the date of this order: Each agency must prepare an Annual Staffing Plan (Sec. 2(c)(i)).
  • Within 180 days from the date of this order: The Director of OMB and the Director of OPM must submit a joint report regarding the implementation of this order (Sec. 4).

Relevance Score: 4

Impacted Government Organizations

  • Executive Departments and Federal Agencies: The order applies to all executive departments and agencies (with specified exceptions), thereby affecting every federal civilian agency’s hiring process.
  • Office of Personnel Management (OPM): OPM is tasked with administering the Merit Hiring Plan and coordinating the development and updating of Annual Staffing Plans with all agencies, as well as granting exemptions.
  • Office of Management and Budget (OMB): OMB is directly involved through its requirement to coordinate with agencies for submitting their Annual Staffing Plans and quarterly updates.

Relevance Score: 5 (The directive applies across nearly the entire federal civilian government.)

Responsible Officials

  • Agency Heads – Tasked with establishing Strategic Hiring Committees within 30 days and ensuring that their agency’s hiring practices align with the orders, including the coordination of Annual Staffing Plans and quarterly updates with OPM and OMB.
  • Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – Responsible for issuing the Merit Hiring Plan, receiving approved hires’ notifications, coordinating with agencies on staffing plans, and granting exemptions as needed.
  • Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – Required to collaborate with OPM in developing and monitoring Annual Staffing Plans, and to jointly report on the order’s implementation to the President through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy.
  • Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy – Acts as a conduit for the joint report submitted by the Directors of OMB and OPM regarding the implementation and potential modification of the order’s provisions.

Relevance Score: 4 (Directives affect agency heads and top-level officials responsible for strategic staffing and policy coordination.)

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