Government operations and workforce · Federal workforce and hiring

Executive Order 14003: Protecting the Federal Workforce

President: Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Revoked four Trump workforce orders, stopped Schedule F conversions, restored collective-bargaining practices and directed agencies to review disciplinary, union-time and bargaining policies.

Status: Revoked.

Is Executive Order 14003 still in effect? No. Revoked January 20, 2025; workforce policies reversed.

Office workers stand before scales of justice, a handshake, a shield and government buildings.
Federal workforce policy and labor relations, illustrated symbolically; not a record of a specific personnel action. EO Explained · site-generated editorial illustration · not documentary evidence.

What does Executive Order 14003 do?

The Office of Personnel Management was to stop Schedule F processing, and agencies were to review workforce actions taken under the revoked orders.

Administration position: The order’s findings and policy rationale were the Biden administration’s positions. This guide distinguishes them from implementation records and judicial rulings.
SignedJanuary 22, 2021
Lead officialsOffice of Personnel Management and agency heads
Express timingImmediate suspension and review; OPM reporting

Before and after

Before the order

Trump-era orders had streamlined discipline, limited official union time and bargaining, and created Schedule F for policy-related roles.

After the order

OPM rescinded implementing guidance and agencies reversed affected policies. EO 14148 revoked EO 14003, and EO 14171 restored a version of the policy-influencing personnel category.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
OPMStop Schedule F processing and withdraw prior guidanceImmediately
AgenciesReview and revise affected workforce actionsAs soon as practicable
OPMReport on implementationAs directed

What happened next

EO 14003 signed.

OPM issued implementation guidance rescinding affected materials.

EO 14148 revoked EO 14003.

EO 14171 reinstated a policy-influencing excepted-service framework.