Trump administration proposes rule limiting legal options for fired federal workers

The Office of Personnel Management proposed a rule that would remove the right of fired federal employees to appeal dismissals to the independent Merit Systems Protection Board and require appeals to OPM instead. Government records show the Board’s caseload rose 266% from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025.

The Office of Personnel Management released a proposed rule that would end the right of some fired federal employees to appeal dismissals to the independent Merit Systems Protection Board. Under the plan, affected employees would instead take appeals to OPM, whose director reports to the president. The proposal was published on a Monday and is described as part of broader personnel actions taken during the administration’s second term. Officials have reported a large increase in cases and substantial employee departures in 2025. Key facts: - OPM proposed removing the route for fired employees to bring dismissal appeals before the independent Merit Systems Protection Board and directing appeals to OPM instead. - Government records report the Board’s caseload increased 266% from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025 compared with the prior year. - OPM Director Scott Kupor told Reuters the administration pushed out 317,000 federal employees in 2025 and said only a fraction were fired, with many accepting buyouts or leaving; Reuters could not independently verify that figure. Summary: The proposal would shift where dismissal disputes are heard and follows a reported rise in Merit Systems Protection Board filings and large personnel departures in 2025. Undetermined at this time.