Essential Documents on the Public Service
Northcote-Trevelyan Report (1853)
The foundation for the modern civil service, in a report prepared for the British government
Pendleton Act (1883)
Created the civil service system in the US
Lloyd-LaFollette Act (1912)
Congress codifies the protections for civil servants
Veterans Preference Act (1944)
Codifies veterans’ preference
Classification Act (1949)
Established the basic framework of the modern civil service, including the General Schedule, with position classification, pay for grades, advancement through steps
Kennedy Executive Order (1962)
Expands veterans’ preference to all federal employees
The Malek-Manual (Jan 4, 1976)
Civil Service Reform Act (1978)
Created the Office of Personnel Management
Created the Senior Executive Service
Created the Merit Systems Protection Board
Established basic classification system and rules for the system, including performance appraisals, probationary rules, merit pay, EEO rules
Schedule F (2020)
Created presidential authority to convert policy positions in the civil service to at-will status
Biden Executive Order removing Schedule F (2021)
Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 Presidential Transition Project “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise”
Project 2025’s nearly 1,000-page proposal was put together with input from many former Trump administration officials positioned to fill the top ranks of a potential new administration.
Biden rule aimed at blocking Schedule F in the future (2024)
EPA union ratifies contract to protect employees’ scientific integrity
OPM, Biography of an Ideal
An excellent general history of the civil service system in the US
Don Kettl short history of the role in experts, from ancient times, including a chart showing the growth of coverage of the civil service system over time
Bush-era national security officials warn against Schedule F (June 6, 2024)
In a letter to congressional committee staff directors, a cadre of former Republican appointees urged lawmakers to pursue a “middle ground” of federal employee accountability that preserves merit systems principles.
Trump loyalist pushes ‘post-Constitutional’ vision for second term (June 8, 2024)
Russ Vought, the former president’s budget director, is laying the groundwork for a broad expansion of presidential powers.
Russell Vought’s Renewing American Purpose
At the time of this article, Russell Vought was the president of the Center for Renewing America. He served as Acting Director then as the 42nd Director of OMB for nearly two years during the Trump administration.