Federal employees quietly edit job descriptions to protect roles from DOGE scrutiny
CNN
Some federal employees are quietly changing the language of job descriptions and performance reviews in an effort to protect roles and critical government functions in the face of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
As President-elect Donald Trump’s administration prepares to take over Washington, some federal employees are quietly changing the language of job descriptions and performance reviews in an effort to protect roles and critical government functions in the face of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Tech billionaire Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who Trump tapped to lead the outside initiative, have said they plan to recommend slashing the federal workforce, cutting the government’s annual budget by at least $1 trillion, and curbing regulations. Ahead of the initiative’s deployment, five sources familiar with the effort, including senior staffers from multiple agencies, told CNN that some workers are removing mentions of “policy” decision-making and terms related to diversity programs from written job descriptions, duties, and performance reviews to protect the roles from possible cuts. “People are definitely reimagining how to communicate what they’ve done and do to try and escape scrutiny,” one federal employee told CNN. Even among those who support efforts to streamline the government and make it more efficient, some fear the effort will be ham-handed. One concern among federal workers is that DOGE will suggest cuts using a “hatchet not a scalpel” and utilize artificial intelligence to target buzzwords in job descriptions without carefully studying the roles, some said. DOGE does not have any direct power to make spending cuts, regulatory changes or other moves —– that authority belongs to Congress — though Musk’s comments have been shown to carry weight with lawmakers. While the DOGE effort exists outside of the government and will likely provide recommendations, Musk is reportedly set to have an office inside the White House.
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