In an effort to revamp the federal hiring process and strengthen the principles of meritocracy in government service, President Trump issued Executive Order 14170 on January 20, 2025, titled Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service.
In that Executive Order, President Trump wrote:
American citizens deserve an excellent and efficient Federal workforce that attracts the highest caliber of civil servants committed to achieving the freedom, prosperity, and democratic rule that our Constitution promotes. But current Federal hiring practices are broken, insular, and outdated. They no longer focus on merit, practical skill, and dedication to our Constitution. Federal hiring should not be based on impermissible factors, such as one’s commitment to illegal racial discrimination under the guise of “equity,” or one’s commitment to the invented concept of “gender identity” over sex. Inserting such factors into the hiring process subverts the will of the People, puts critical government functions at risk, and risks losing the best-qualified candidates.
By making our recruitment and hiring processes more efficient and focused on serving the Nation, we will ensure that the Federal workforce is prepared to help achieve American greatness, and attracts the talent necessary to serve our citizens effectively. By significantly improving hiring principles and practices, Americans will receive the Federal resources and services they deserve from the highest-skilled Federal workforce in the world.
The Executive Order directed developing a comprehensive federal hiring plan within 120 days of when the Executive Order was issued which was designed to enhance efficiency, uphold constitutional values, and attract highly qualified individuals to serve the American public.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the new hiring plan in a memo issued on May 29.
Core Objectives of the Merit Hiring Plan
The Merit Hiring Plan is grounded in seven primary goals:
- Prioritizing Efficiency and Constitutional Commitment: Agencies are directed to recruit individuals dedicated to improving government efficiency, passionate about American ideals, and committed to upholding the Constitution.
- Eliminating Discriminatory Hiring Practices: The plan explicitly prohibits the consideration of race, sex, or religion in hiring decisions, ensuring that all selections are based solely on merit and qualifications.
- Implementing Skills-Based Assessments: Federal agencies are required to adopt technical and alternative assessments, as emphasized in the Chance to Compete Act of 2024, to evaluate candidates’ practical skills.
- Reducing Time-to-Hire: The government-wide goal is to decrease the hiring process duration to under 80 days, streamlining procedures to attract and onboard talent more swiftly.
- Enhancing Candidate Communication: Agencies must improve transparency with applicants, providing clear updates throughout the hiring process and feedback when appropriate.
- Leveraging Modern Technology: The plan encourages the use of data analytics and digital platforms to optimize recruitment strategies and enhance candidate engagement.
- Active Leadership Involvement: Department and agency leaders are expected to play an active role in implementing the new hiring procedures to ensure accountability and effectiveness.
Eliminating DEI and Race-Based Hiring
A cornerstone of this plan is the elimination of all discriminatory practices in Federal hiring. The OPM memo states:
A bedrock principle of the Merit Hiring Plan is that all Americans must be hired, recruited, and promoted in Federal jobs without regard to race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Racial quotas and preferences in Federal hiring, recruitment and promotion “deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement.” Illegal, demeaning, and immoral “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) programs in hiring, recruiting, interviewing, training, professional development, internships, fellowships, promotion, and retention must end immediately.
Key Directives for Federal Agencies
In addition to ending discriminatory hiring practices, OPM also outlined the following directives for agencies:
- Skills-Focused Recruitment: The hiring process will emphasize technical competence and practical skills over formal academic credentials, removing unnecessary degree requirements.
- HR Best Practices: OPM has outlined best practices for human resources functions in each agency, focusing on merit-based recruitment, improved candidate assessment methods, and efficient onboarding procedures.
Implementation Steps for Agencies
To comply with the new hiring plan, agencies must:
- Refrain from using demographic statistics in hiring decisions.
- Cease dissemination of workforce composition data concerning race, sex, or national origin.
- End all Special Emphasis Programs and other agency initiatives in the areas of hiring, recruiting, interviewing, training, professional development, internships, fellowships, promotion, or retention that discriminate based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
- Enforce strict accountability measures, including disciplinary actions for violations of merit-based hiring principles.
Conclusion
The Merit Hiring Plan represents a significant shift in federal employment practices, aiming to restore a focus on merit, competence, and constitutional values within the government workforce. By streamlining processes, eliminating discriminatory practices, and emphasizing skills-based assessments, the plan seeks to build a more effective and dedicated federal workforce to better serve the American people.
