Federal Agencies Push Back Against Musk's Job Justification Demands
Elon Musk's directive for federal employees to justify their work has sparked resistance from multiple U.S. federal agencies and employee unions.
Multiple federal agencies in the United States have expressed opposition to a directive from Elon Musk requiring employees to outline their work accomplishments weekly or face job loss.
The initiative has raised concerns about government efficiency and employee morale, highlighting a possible rift between Musk and key figures from the Trump administration.
On February 24, 2025, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent an email to federal employees, giving them until 11:59 p.m. on the following Monday to submit approximately five bullet points detailing their achievements from the previous week.
This email followed a post by Musk on the platform X, stating that all federal workers would receive it and implying that non-compliance would be regarded as resignation.
In response, several agencies urged their employees to pause any replies to the OPM's message.
The Department of Defense (DoD) clarified in a note that it holds the responsibility for personnel performance evaluations and would follow its own established procedures for review.
Officials within the DoD emphasized the importance of internal processes for assessing staff performance.
In addition to the DoD, other departments including the FBI and the State Department also instructed their personnel not to comply with Musk’s directive.
Kash Patel, the new director of the FBI, communicated to FBI personnel that the agency is responsible for its review processes without external interference.
Labor unions representing federal employees have strongly criticized Musk's directive.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, condemned the email sent by OPM as a reckless attempt to create confusion and intimidate dedicated civil servants.
They pledged to contest any unlawful job terminations resulting from this directive.
Along with this, it has been reported that Musk was appointed by former President Trump to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), focusing on cutting public spending and addressing perceived inefficiencies and corruption within government operations.
However, this initiative has faced opposition from various quarters, including a legal framework that has produced mixed rulings on its directives.
Musk's actions and the ensuing reactions illustrate a significant moment in U.S. federal workforce management, potentially affecting the relationship between government officials and private sector influence.
The initiative has raised concerns about government efficiency and employee morale, highlighting a possible rift between Musk and key figures from the Trump administration.
On February 24, 2025, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent an email to federal employees, giving them until 11:59 p.m. on the following Monday to submit approximately five bullet points detailing their achievements from the previous week.
This email followed a post by Musk on the platform X, stating that all federal workers would receive it and implying that non-compliance would be regarded as resignation.
In response, several agencies urged their employees to pause any replies to the OPM's message.
The Department of Defense (DoD) clarified in a note that it holds the responsibility for personnel performance evaluations and would follow its own established procedures for review.
Officials within the DoD emphasized the importance of internal processes for assessing staff performance.
In addition to the DoD, other departments including the FBI and the State Department also instructed their personnel not to comply with Musk’s directive.
Kash Patel, the new director of the FBI, communicated to FBI personnel that the agency is responsible for its review processes without external interference.
Labor unions representing federal employees have strongly criticized Musk's directive.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, condemned the email sent by OPM as a reckless attempt to create confusion and intimidate dedicated civil servants.
They pledged to contest any unlawful job terminations resulting from this directive.
Along with this, it has been reported that Musk was appointed by former President Trump to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), focusing on cutting public spending and addressing perceived inefficiencies and corruption within government operations.
However, this initiative has faced opposition from various quarters, including a legal framework that has produced mixed rulings on its directives.
Musk's actions and the ensuing reactions illustrate a significant moment in U.S. federal workforce management, potentially affecting the relationship between government officials and private sector influence.
