Hundreds of thousands of US federal employees have received an email instructing them to summarise their weekly work accomplishments, with the implication that failure to respond would be seen as a resignation.
The directive follows Elon Musk’s appointment as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by President Donald Trump, as part of an effort to reduce government spending.
The email, sent by the Office of Personnel Management, requires employees to provide a five-bullet summary of their weekly achievements and copy their managers.
While some agencies have instructed their staff to comply, others, including the FBI and the judiciary, have advised employees to disregard the request. The move has sparked backlash from unions, who describe it as an attack on public service workers.
Federal employees face ultimatum amid government restructuring
The controversial directive aligns with President Trump’s broader agenda to streamline federal operations and reduce what he has described as excessive bureaucracy.
The instruction to justify work performance was communicated through an internal government email and applies to employees across various departments, including veterans affairs, defence, and health services.
According to Sky News, Musk reinforced the ultimatum in a post on X, stating: “Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.” However, this phrasing was absent from the official email itself.
In response, some agencies have chosen not to comply. According to NBC News, FBI Director Kash Patel advised employees to “pause any responses” while the bureau reviews the directive. Similarly, federal court officials have instructed judiciary staff to ignore the request, clarifying that the email did not originate from the judicial system.
Since Trump’s return to office, thousands of government employees have been dismissed or have accepted voluntary severance packages, particularly within key departments such as defence, health, and the Internal Revenue Service. While no official figures have been released, Musk’s role at DOGE signals further restructuring efforts.
Union leaders condemn move as hostile to public service workers
Labour unions have expressed strong opposition to the mandate, arguing that it undermines the role of federal employees and their contributions to public service. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), described the requirement as an act of “utter disdain” towards civil servants.
According to AFGE, many federal employees are military veterans who transitioned into government roles, making the directive particularly insensitive.
“It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life,” Kelley stated.
Union representatives have signalled their intent to challenge any dismissals resulting from the directive, suggesting that legal action may follow if terminations occur without due process. While the White House has not commented on the policy, Musk has continued to defend his approach, describing government inefficiency as widespread.
At a recent gathering, Musk was seen waving a chainsaw, referring to it as a symbol of his commitment to cutting bureaucratic waste. The long-term implications of this restructuring effort remain uncertain, but tensions between the administration and federal employees are already rising.
