Blumenthal, Colleagues Presses Trump Administration to Reverse Course on Rollback of Federal Employee Protections

[Hartford, CT] - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined Senate colleagues to urge the Trump Administration's Office of Personnel Management (OPM) against implementing two rules that would severely weaken longstanding civil service protections for federal employees. The Senators submitted two letters for OPM's official comment periods on its proposed rules regarding Suitability Action and Reduction in Force (RIF) appeals.

In the first letter, the Senators urged OPM to reject its proposed rule that would transfer jurisdiction over suitability action appeals when an employee or prospective employee is deemed unsuitable for federal service from the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to OPM. In the second letter, the Senators urged OPM to reject its proposed rule that would transfer jurisdiction over RIF appeals from the MSPB to OPM. In both letters, the Senators expressed concern that the rules would shift the adjudication of appeals from the independent MSPB to an internal OPM process overseen by a political appointee - a clear conflict of interest in which OPM is the policymaker, the enforcer, and the final arbiter of these appeals. Further, they noted that these moves will erode protections for employees and invite political interference in workforce matters. The Senators stressed that these proposed changes are especially dangerous given the Administration's recent abuses of federal employees.

Joining Blumenthal on the suitability action appeals letter are U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD). Joining Blumenthal on the reduction in force appeals letter are U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).

"We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) proposed rule, Suitability Action Appeals (OPM-2025-0173-0001). While we agree that suitability standards and procedures play a critical role in protecting the federal government, this proposal undermines the statutory framework, independence, and due process protections that ensure those standards are applied fairly and lawfully," the Senators wrote in their suitability action appeals letter, which can be viewed here.

"We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) proposed rule-Reduction in Force Appeals [2026-02576]-that seeks to move the venue for Reduction in Force (RIF) appeals from the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to OPM. At its core, this proposal undoes Congress's deliberate separation of personnel policymaking and adjudication of appeals, undermines due process protections for federal employees, and poses heightened risks of politization given the current Administration's attacks on the nonpartisan civil service. While framed as an efficiency measure, the rule would instead erode structural safeguards that have anchored the merit-based civil service for decades," the Senators wrote in their RIF appeals letter, which can be viewed here.

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