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LOADINGERROR LOADING WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is using a new metric for assessing people’s job performance at the Department of Health and Human Services: whether they “clearly and demonstrably support implementation” of President Donald Trump’s policy agenda. Tens of thousands of HHS employees have to fulfill four “critical elements” for their annual performance reviews, which take place at the end of the fiscal year. One of those elements, “Faithful Support of Administration of the Law and the President’s Policies,” lays out how workers now have to essentially prove their loyalty to Trump’s policies. Advertisement “This is the most critical element for reviewing the job performance of someone who serves under the elected President,” reads this requirement. “Faithful administration of one’s role in the Executive Branch requires commitment to the principles of the Founding, including equality under the law and democratic self-government,” it continues. “All Senior Professionals must clearly and demonstrably support implementation of the President’s policy priorities through specific results that align with and advance the President’s specific policy agenda.” Here’s a screenshot of the new requirement, shared by an HHS employee: Advertisement “So basically, we swear we’re going to follow Trump’s policies, which is ridiculous,” said this HHS employee, who requested anonymity to protect their job. Federal workers aren’t supposed to be loyal to any president or their policies. Instead, they are supposed to be committed to following laws and to helping the government function well for the public. But Trump has been trying to politicize the civil service since taking office, and in April, his administration laid out its plans to hand down directives like this at all federal agencies. The change to HHS’ performance review criteria creates more stress for people at the agency, who are already on edge about potentially losing their jobs as Trump carries out sweeping, reckless cuts to the federal workforce. Some HHS employees aren’t even working right now, as they remain furloughed amid the ongoing government shutdown. Advertisement “It’s a hit on morale, and everybody is scared,” said the HHS employee. “Because you just never know what new ‘Fork in the Road’ message you’re going to get this day or that day.” Internally, it is being read by some as a threat to sign or be singled out and fired. “There’s nothing we can do about it. We just have to go along to get along,” they added, emphasizing they can’t afford to lose their job. “If you don’t do it, you have to be let go. It’s like, OK, I’m just going to hold my nose and jump, because I don’t have a choice.” In an emailed statement, HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said the Office of Personnel Management directed all federal agencies to adopt language like this, per Trump’s January executive order, “Restoring Accountability for Career Senior Executives.” Advertisement “This update is consistent with the new [Senior Executive Service] performance requirements which also went into effect on October 1,” Hilliard said. “HHS is committed to carrying out the President’s policy agenda in a manner consistent with the Constitution.” The other criteria for employees’ performance reviews relate to supporting government efficiency, producing high-quality work, working well with others and specific organizational goals. Advertisement Terry Moe, a presidential scholar and the William Bennett Munro professor of political science at Stanford University, said it’s “not at all surprising” to see Trump trying to assess federal workers based on their loyalty to his agenda. It’s just a piece of his administration’s broader, darker efforts to “wage war” on the administrative state, he said. “They want to put their loyalists in as appointments throughout the executive branch, and they want to do everything they can to ensure that civil servants, who are hired on the basis of merit and who are supposed to be nonpartisan, are themselves loyalists,” Moe said. “This flies in the face of the entire foundation of civil service, which is merit.” Forget BallroomsHelp Build aNewsroom Your SupportFuelsOur Mission Your SupportFuelsOur Mission Become a HuffPost Member When power gathers under golden ceilings, real journalism stands outside, asking the questions that matter. 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The HHS employee expressed particular concern with how Trump’s loyalty requirement will play out with people in HHS’ Office of the Inspector General, which operates independently and is mandated to root out waste, fraud and abuse. Trump fired all 18 inspectors general across federal agencies in his first few weeks in office, including at HHS, but this office is still operating with an acting inspector general. Advertisement HHS workers in this office “shouldn’t have to uphold the administration’s policies,” said this employee. “Especially if it goes against some potential fraud that they uncover. ... It’s a conflict of interest.”
