On Saturday, staff all through the federal authorities obtained an e mail from the Workplace of Personnel Administration (OPM), demanding a reply with “approx. 5 bullets of what you completed final week.” On X, Elon Musk posted that failure to reply “will probably be taken as a resignation.” The outcome? Confusion, chaos, and resentment amongst a federal workforce that more and more feels below assault.
“So fucking dumb,” says one air site visitors controller who obtained the e-mail and was granted anonymity for concern of retribution.
Leaders of many businesses seem to have been caught off guard. On the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which homes the Nationwide Climate Service, some managers initially cautioned towards replying to the e-mail in case it was a phishing try. One other NOAA worker says they have been cautioned to not log onto their work e mail after receiving it.
Different staff have been met with conflicting steering from their managers. On the Nationwide Institute of Requirements and Expertise, which is anticipating deep cuts orchestrated by the so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), some staff reported being instructed to await additional steering whereas others say their managers instructed folks to conform.
The e-mail seems to have been despatched even to federal judges. “We perceive that some judges and judiciary workers have obtained an e mail from HR@opm.gov,” learn an e mail from the director’s workplace of the Division of Administrative Companies for US Federal Courts. “Please be suggested that this e mail didn’t originate from the Judiciary or the Administrative Workplace and we recommend that no motion be taken.”
At the least some army personnel additionally obtained the e-mail, and have been instructed to await steering from the Division of Protection. That holding sample seems to be the response at most businesses, the place staff say they haven’t but heard from senior management if and the way they need to deal with this newest escalation in Musk and DOGE’s ongoing efforts to dramatically cut back the federal workforce. On the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, for example, in an e mail with the topic line “Please Await Steering,” some staff have been instructed that “info is forthcoming,” with none indication of when or from whom.
One other consideration for a lot of shouldn’t be solely whether or not they need to reply, however how. Whereas the OPM e mail specified that staff mustn’t ship labeled info, hyperlinks, or attachments, that severely limits how staff at many authorities businesses may have the ability to reply.
“Nationwide safety workers are getting notified of OPM’s request, which is taking them from the necessary work of making certain nationwide safety pursuits,” mentioned one supply, who was granted anonymity as a result of nature of their work. “These are important staff who preserve us secure.”
“The Govt Committee is presently reviewing this request to find out applicable pointers relating to what info might be shared outdoors of the company,” reads an e mail from the Workplace of the Comptroller of the Forex, which sits throughout the Treasury Division. “Please wait for added steering.”
NBC Information reported Saturday that even Kash Patel, the newly put in Federal Bureau of Investigation director and shut ally of President Donald Trump, has instructed staff not to reply to the OPM e mail.