Washington, D.C., May 27, 2026 — The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is moving toward reclassifying hundreds of senior career employees into a new civil service category that would make them easier to fire.
This new classification, known as Schedule Policy/Career, or Schedule P/C, would include senior technical experts, managers, supervisors, and policy staff across HHS. Schedule P/C will replace the previous Schedule F classification under President Trump, and any employee transitioned to the new classification will lose certain protections of the civil service system. These include the right to be terminated only for cause and access to the appeal rights most other tenured federal employees have.
HHS has advised supervisors that a reclassification may occur soon but that any final conversion requires an executive order from the president. Nevertheless, the apparently forthcoming reclassification has caused waves of concern throughout HHS because it would cover hundreds of positions.
The administration’s stated rationale for the change is increasing employee accountability in positions that affect policy. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) indicated that this new classification is intended for employees whose performance or conduct is below expectations and that employees cannot be required to pledge their political loyalty to the president.
Federal employee unions and critics see it differently. They argue the policy could politicize the career civil service by making senior employees easier to remove based on perceived disloyalty or disagreement with administration policy. Unions have already challenged the broader reclassification effort in court.
Federal employment attorney Justin Schnitzer cautions:
“Federal employees receiving a Schedule Policy/Career notice should not assume it’s just an administrative label change. A reclassification can have implications for removal, appeal, and leverage in challenging a disciplinary action or termination. Employees should retain the notice, save emails, review their job description, and speak with a federal employment attorney before signing or responding.”
The stakes are especially high because HHS has already undergone a major restructuring of its workforce. The question for senior career employees will be not only whether they are being reclassified, but whether their position actually involves influence on policy. For now, HHS employees receiving such notices should document everything and avoid acting based on informal guidance from supervisors.