The Trump administration plans to propose major changes to the federal civil service system by November, placing an overhaul of government personnel operations on a fast track.
In his first media briefing as Office of Personnel Management director, Jeff T.H. Pon said he is “really looking at wholesale change” in areas including hiring and compensation. The changes would affect a workforce of more than 2 million.
“The next six to seven months are very critical for getting things out the door,” he said. “I know that there’s midterm elections and sometimes people get their attention elsewhere, but I’m really making sure that our staff here at OPM have a full-court press in the next six to seven months, and you’ll see a lot of things come out of here.”
Pon, who took office on March 9, responded only to questions submitted in advance and not the bulk of those. No live questions were allowed from reporters on the conference call.
Talk of civil service reform has been around for years, but Pon’s timetable gives it a priority it has not had before.
“We will lead, and we will be brave about our leadership here at OPM,” he said. “We will not actually be like the last 10, 15, 20 years where we’re just nibbling around the edges. We want to be bold and aggressive, and we want to make sure that not only is it good for America but it’s also good for our civil service.”
Pon certainly will run into opposing views on what is good for the civil service. For example, federal labor organizations oppose pay for performance systems and retirement changes Republicans have advanced.
Pon said he will engage federal unions as he seeks “cultural change.”
He said he wants the government to be a place that employees would recommend to their friends and families as a place to work.
“That’s the test that I want to hold us to, which is are we referring our friends and families to the mission of the federal government?” he said.
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