On Saturday, workers all through the federal authorities received an email from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), demanding a reply with “approx. 5 bullets of what you achieved final week.” On X, Elon Musk posted that failure to reply “might be taken as a resignation.” The end result? Confusion, chaos, and resentment amongst a federal workforce that more and more feels under attack.
“So fucking dumb,” says one air visitors controller who acquired the e-mail and was granted anonymity for worry of retribution.
Leaders of many companies seem to have been caught off guard. On the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which homes the Nationwide Climate Service, some managers initially cautioned in opposition to 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 Know-how, which is anticipating deep cuts orchestrated by the so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), some workers 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 employees have acquired an e mail from HR@opm.gov,” learn an e mail from the director’s workplace of the Division of Administrative Providers 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.”
Not less than some army personnel additionally acquired 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 companies, 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 reduce the federal workforce. On the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, as an example, in an e mail with the topic line “Please Await Steerage,” some staff have been instructed that “data is forthcoming,” with none indication of when or from whom.
One other consideration for a lot of will not be solely whether or not they need to reply, however how. Whereas the OPM e mail specified that workers shouldn’t ship categorized data, hyperlinks, or attachments, that severely limits how staff at many authorities companies would possibly be capable to reply.
“Nationwide safety employees are getting notified of OPM’s request, which is taking them from the necessary work of guaranteeing nationwide safety pursuits,” mentioned one supply, who was granted anonymity because of the nature of their work. “These are important workers who maintain us protected.”
“The Govt Committee is at present reviewing this request to find out acceptable pointers relating to what data might be shared outdoors of the company,” reads an e mail from the Workplace of the Comptroller of the Foreign money, which sits inside the Treasury Division. “Please wait for added steering.”
NBC Information reported Saturday that even Kash Patel, the newly installed Federal Bureau of Investigation director and shut ally of President Donald Trump, has instructed workers not to answer the OPM e mail.
