On January 20 President-Elect Donald Trump won’t be the only person with a new job in Washington, and President Barrack Obama won’t be the only person who had to pack up his office. With the change in the occupant of the White House comes change throughout the highest levels of the Federal government. But what actually happens at the various agencies, such as at the State Department when Secretary of State John Kerry packs up and expected incoming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson moves in?
“The impact of management at government agencies varies,” said George Zeller, economic research analyst. “Some agencies have a lot of contracts to let out, some to the public sector and some to the private sector. Some agencies, such as the post office, have plenty of federal employees in local jurisdictions nationwide.”
However, Zeller noted that it is important to remember that most government employees are from the civil service, and thus, things don’t actually change much when a new administration moves in.
“But, upper management with assistant secretaries and other management can turn over when a new administration takes charge,” he added.
Government Employee Job Security
The changeover from one administration to another doesn’t really have that much impact on most of the government workers.
“Civil servants tend to be thelifeblood of government agencies, and they stay on to do the real work of making agencies function regardless of who sits in the Oval Office,” said Bradley P. Moss of the Mark Zaid Law Offices. “The only thing that usually changes for them is the name of the political appointee to whom they’ll now be reporting in some fashion, as well as the priority levels that may be set for particular policy focuses.”
This doesn’t mean that civil servants shouldn’t be polishing their resumes prior to a change in administration. Those at the top may seek to clean house as they take their respective agency in a new direction. Changes in budget may also mean the new agency head is asked to do more with less.
“The main vehicle for major changes within federal agencies are generally defined in the budget, but the main influence on all that comes during the appropriations process at the Congress,” explained Zeller. “If there are major changes in employment levels within the public sector, that appropriations process is the locus of such changes.”
Making Policy, Making Money
Then there are those civil servants who may simply look for greener pastures in the private sector. Particularly after vowing to never work under the President-Elect.
“The $64,000 question right now, however, is whether we will see a change in this tradition with the arrival of the Trump Administration,” added Moss. “There were various reports before the election about how as much as one-third of the Federal workforce was considering quitting if Trump became President. That figure is likely to be severely overblown, and there certainly has not been any huge wave of resignations by civil servants as we approach the final weeks of the Obama Administration.”
More importantly, Moss suggests, is the fact that no one knows for certain how Trump’s team of “disruptive outsiders” will actually mesh with career bureaucrats.
During the Transition
The change in administration can create opportunities for government sector employees as well.
“As outgoing Administration officials depart, career federal employees often have the opportunity to serve in acting roles, giving them valuable experience leading departments and agencies that are career-enhancing during and after their government service,” noted Charles Sowell, senior vice president for national security and cyber solutions at Salient CRGT.
“We can expect most career federal employees who find themselves in acting roles doing their best to be good stewards and helping prepare their organizations for the new political appointees,” Sowell added. “Don’t expect much to change until the new departmental and agency leaders are appointed, confirmed and start work.”
It is also important to remember that career federal employees and contractors will have opportunities to be selected for United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions. These positions are published by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in what is commonly called the “Plum Book.”
Dubbed the “biggest Help Wanted ad in eight years” it was released in early December, and included 9,000 political jobs that will need to be filled. It lists every patronage position in both the executive and legislative branches that could be filled by the incoming administration.
This list of jobs originated in 1952 when Republican President Eisenhower entered the White House after 22 years of Democratic control of the Federal Government. The new administration requested a list of government positions that could be filled, and the Plum Book is now regularly published every four years following a Presidential election.
This year’s Plum Book actually has 2,000 more jobs than the 2008 version, which suggests that there are more opportunities now in the government sector.
That said, Trump officials have been quick to note that government bureaucracy, including political appointees, could be significantly scaled back.
“Some career federal employees may find the transition period is the right time to retire, particularly if they disagree with emerging positions from the new Administration or incoming Administration officials want to ‘create their own team,'” added Sowell. “This creates new opportunities for other career employees as well as members of the public who are interested in public service.”
For those career civil servants, however a new President may just be business as usual.
“Long story short, ordinarily I would say that with limited exceptions – people who use the opportunity to get a political appointment – transitions to a new administration have a limited impact on most career bureaucrats,” said Moss. “No one knows if that will remain the case this time.”
