When Donald J. Trump was reelected president, we expected a significant shift from the Biden administration policies. We did not expect the massive change that has rocked the federal government. Since Inauguration Day, Trump has signed nearly 150 executive orders (EO) and 85 other actions, many directly addressing workforce issues and policies. Several notable EOs and other documents include:
- EO 14170: Reforming the federal hiring process and restoring merit to government service.
- EO 14171: Restoring accountability to positions influencing policy within the federal workforce.
- EO 14210: Implementing the Department of Government Efficiency workforce optimization initiative.
- Memorandum: Strengthening the suitability and fitness of the federal workforce.
These reflect a focus on reducing the federal workforce size, enhancing accountability, prioritizing merit and skills, and aligning hiring with efficiency.
It is still not clear how parts of these actions will be implemented, and it is important to note that many ongoing legal challenges may overturn some of them.
Independent Federal Agencies
Trump also has focused criticism of independent federal agencies. He has called several agencies overreaching and unaccountable, costing taxpayers billions of dollars while imposing burdensome regulations. As the elected head of the executive branch, Trump believes he should have authority over all agencies, even those traditionally designed to operate with some independence from White House oversight. He has even targeted the U.S. Department of Education for elimination and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for its labor rulings.
Department of Education
In March 2025, Trump signed an EO to dismantle the Department of Education and “return authority over education to the states and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”
Under the Constitution, only Congress has the authority to repeal or amend a statute to abolish a federal department it created. While Republicans hold majorities in the House and Senate, reaching the 60-vote threshold required in the Senate to abolish the Department of Education will be challenging given Democratic opposition.
In light of this, what the administration is doing so far to restructure the department is to cut funding requests and eliminate or reorganize the federal agency.
The department oversees several workforce development programs, including career and technical education, adult education, federal student aid, and apprenticeship support.
If the department shrinks or ultimately closes, that could result in the disruption of workforce training programs by shifting them to states and other agencies such as adding them to programs under the U.S. Department of Labor.
Of note to FPA member companies, U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be responsible for overseeing workforce programs that the Department of Labor absorbs. Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican, is the former representative from Oregon who introduced the Compostable Agriculture Packaging Act of 2024 for labeling, so she has familiarity with our industry.
NLRB
NLRB is an independent federal agency with the primary mission to protect employees’ rights to organize, engage in collective bargaining, and participate in organized activities.
Shortly after he took office, Trump fired Gwynne Wilcox, a Democratic NLRB board member and the first Black woman to serve on the board. In the NLRB’s 90-year history, no president had removed a board member midterm without cause.
Wilcox subsequently filed a lawsuit, and a U.S. District judge ruled the firing unlawful and ordered her reinstatement. However, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed that decision, granting Trump’s emergency motion and suggesting he likely has the authority to remove members without cause, which left the NLRB without a quorum.
Trump also fired NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, a Biden appointee known for her pro-worker stance, and her deputy, Jessica Rutter. Those moves indicate Trump’s strong interest in reshaping the agency. Acting General Counsel William Cowen has been reversing Abruzzo’s policies.
WIOA
The 118th Congress came close to reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) with the A Stronger Workforce for America Act but was not quite able to approve the final package. First enacted in July 2014, WIOA is the primary federal workforce development law for increased coordination among federal workforce development and related programs. In this Congress, there is bipartisan support for reauthorization.