Union sues Trump administration over decision to reclassify certain feds – By Jessie Bur (Federal Times) / Oct 29 2020
The National Treasury Employees Union will take the Trump administration to court over a recent executive order that instructs agencies to convert certain policy-focused positions from the competitive service to the excepted service, according to a lawsuit filed late Oct. 26.
The lawsuit claims that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority in ordering the conversion of certain employees to a new Schedule F and has subverted the will of Congress in existing civil service legislation.
In particular, the lawsuit says that the president only has the authority to except positions from the competitive service “when ‘necessary’ and ‘as conditions of good administration warrant,’” which, according to NTEU, the president has failed to sufficiently establish.
“The president is attempting to run roughshod over the separation of powers and rewrite the law himself in a way that threatens a critical pillar of our democracy, and someone has to stand up to him. NTEU is proud to do so, with this lawsuit as well as supporting those in Congress who are pursuing legislative efforts to block the order,” said NTEU National President Tony Reardon.
Continue to article: https://www.federaltimes.com/management/2020/10/27/union-sues-trump-administration-over-decision-to-reclassify-certain-feds/
