On January 22, 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order that overturned several federal workforce policies of the previous administration. These rollbacks include revoking the Schedule F employment category, restoring collective bargaining power for federal employees, and pushing for a minimum wage of $15 an hour for federal workers. 

The Schedule F order allowed agencies to reclassify civil servants in policymaking and policy-focused roles into job classification that would make firing such employees easier and remove any eligibility for union representation. In President Trump’s last few days, the Office of Management and Budget was about to reclassify nearly 90 percent of their workforce in the new schedule. 

President Biden also reserved three 2018 workforce executive orders issued by the previous administration. One order required agencies to renegotiate collective bargaining agreements under strict negotiations, the other order restricted the use of official time spent by federal workers on union business, and the last order made it easier to fire poor-performers and shortened the timeframe of performance improvement plans. 

The previous orders were the subject of several lawsuits and labor practice challenges. Unions representing federal workers have welcomed the action taken by the new administration. 

Lastly, the executive order also directs the Office of Personnel Management to create recommendations for more federal workers and contractors to earn at least $15 per hour and receive emergency paid leave. 

President Biden’s actions are designed to restore workplace rights and protections of federal workers, as well as encourage unionization within the federal government. 

If you are facing a federal employment issue and you are looking for knowledgeable and skilled representation, contact Pines Federal today at (800) 801-0598 and get more than 50 years of combined experience on your side. We have offices in Baltimore, Atlanta, and Houston.