Executive Order 14356: Ensuring Continued Accountability in Federal Hiring

What does Executive Order 14356 do?

The text directs OMB and OPM to issue implementation guidance, and Agencies to establish staffing committees and plans.

Reading the operative provisions of Executive Order 14356

EO 14356 establishes a more centralized approval process for many civilian federal vacancies. It directs agencies to prepare strategic workforce plans, use hiring committees and obtain central approval before filling covered positions, subject to exceptions. The Federal Register text of EO 14356 sets out the controls; it does not impose a total hiring freeze or suspend hiring where the order’s exceptions apply.

An agency workforce plan is meant to connect hiring to mission needs and staffing priorities. A hiring committee can review whether a vacancy is necessary, while central approval adds a further control. Agencies still need to comply with merit-system principles, veterans’ preference, appropriations and statutory staffing obligations. A position’s eligibility for an exception depends on the order and implementing guidance.

The controls affect the process more than the legal nature of federal employment. An approval does not guarantee that a candidate will be hired, and an agency may still use lawful hiring authorities when a position is exempt. Implementation should be assessed through OPM and OMB guidance, agency plans, approval records and hiring data by occupation. Those records can show whether the system improved alignment or created delays in essential services.

Workforce controls can influence service delivery if agencies cannot fill positions quickly. A review should track vacancy duration, customer wait times, backlogs and workload for critical occupations, not just the number of approvals granted. Positions that perform emergency response, benefit adjudication or security functions may need different treatment from routine vacancies. The order’s exceptions and implementation guidance are therefore central to judging whether the approval process preserves essential capacity while limiting unnecessary hiring.