Justify Your Job
“What did you do last week?”
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) emailed federal employees Saturday requesting five bullet points of what they accomplished last week; according to chief-cost-cutter Elon Musk, failure to respond by 11:59 p.m. today will be “taken as a resignation.” OPM says it’s part of President Trump’s “commitment to an efficient and accountable federal workforce.” Critics question the legality of firing those who don’t reply (or reply insufficiently).
Kash Patel, who was sworn in as FBI director on Friday following his narrow Senate confirmation, told his staff to “pause any responses” to the email, a directive echoed by several other agencies, including the IRS and Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.
Reply or not, layoffs are hitting the Defense Department; it announced plans to cut ~50,000 civilian employees, starting with 5,400 probationary workers this week.
Verse to consider whether you’re making big decisions or your performance is under review… “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones.”
Proverbs 3:5–8 (CSB) (read full passage)