New Act Blocks Firing of Career Federal Workers During Government Shutdowns

The aptly named “Stop Stealing Our Jobs Act” cuts straight to a major source of stress for hundreds of thousands of Americans: the government shutdown. Specifically, Section 2 of this bill takes aim at the job security of career federal employees when Congress fails to pass funding bills.

What Happens When the Lights Go Out?

This section establishes a simple, clear rule: If the government shuts down because of a lapse in discretionary funding, the President or the head of any Executive agency cannot fire, lay off, or remove any career civil service employee. This protection holds even if the agency was already planning a "reduction in force" (RIF), which is the bureaucratic term for layoffs. Essentially, if you’re a career federal worker—the people who keep the agencies running day-to-day—your job is safe from the political fallout of a funding crisis. This means the folks processing your tax returns, inspecting food, or managing national parks can breathe a little easier when the political theater starts.

Who Gets the Job Security Blanket?

The bill is very specific about who is covered and who isn't. The protections apply only to career civil service employees within Executive agencies, using the standard definitions (Title 5, U.S. Code, Sections 2101 and 105). These are the non-political experts who have dedicated their careers to public service. By providing this stability, the bill aims to keep institutional knowledge intact and minimize the brain drain that often follows periods of uncertainty. If you’re a software developer at the VA or an engineer at the Department of Transportation, this bill is designed to keep you on the job, regardless of the budget chaos.

The Exception: Political Appointees

This job protection does not apply to political appointees. The bill explicitly excludes them, defining them as high-level, non-career positions, noncareer Senior Executive Service (SES) members, and those in confidential or policy-determining roles (often Schedule C positions). This means that while the career staff is protected from being laid off during a shutdown, the political leadership—the people whose jobs are directly tied to the current administration—can still be removed. This distinction reinforces the idea that the bill is aimed at protecting the permanent, non-partisan workforce from politically motivated job cuts during funding lapses.