The Public Service Reform Act would convert all federal executive branch employees to at-will status, meaning they could be fired for good cause, bad cause, or no reason at all. The bill would eliminate current civil service protections that require agencies to provide advance notice and a chance to respond before removing career employees, and it would abolish the Merit Systems Protection Board, which currently handles federal employee appeals. The legislation preserves limited protections for whistleblowers and employees facing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, allowing them to appeal to federal courts or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if they believe they were fired in retaliation for protected disclosures or due to illegal discrimination. Career employees would receive a 14-day notice period before removal and could request a hearing, but the agency head would have final say with no further appeal rights unless the President intervenes. The bill contains no specific funding provisions or implementation timeline beyond its effective date upon enactment.
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