Elon Musk says federal employees must report ‘what they got done last week’ or lose jobs
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In a bold and unprecedented move, Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Donald Trump, has mandated that all federal employees submit a detailed account of their weekly accomplishments or face termination. This directive, announced on Saturday, has sent shockwaves through the federal workforce, leading to confusion, resistance, and a flurry of responses from various agencies and officials.
The Directive
On February 22, 2025, Musk took to his social media platform, X, to declare: “Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
Subsequently, federal employees received an email from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) with the subject line: “What did you do last week?” The email instructed recipients to reply with approximately five bullet points summarizing their accomplishments from the previous week and to cc their managers. The deadline for submission was set for 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, February 24, 2025.
Reactions from Federal Agencies
The directive has elicited varied responses from different federal agencies:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Director Kash Patel instructed FBI personnel to “pause any responses” to the OPM email, emphasizing that the FBI would conduct reviews in accordance with its own procedures. The Guardian
- State Department: Employees were advised that they were not obligated to report their activities outside of their departmental chain of command. Under Secretary for Management Tibor Nagy stated that the department would respond on behalf of its employees. The Wall Street Journal
- Department of Defense (DoD): Leadership instructed employees to “pause” any response to Musk’s request, indicating that the DoD would handle performance reviews internally. AP News
Union and Employee Responses
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing over 800,000 federal workers, condemned the mandate. AFGE President Everett Kelley described the directive as “cruel and disrespectful,” highlighting that it forces dedicated public servants to justify their roles to an “out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire.” The union has pledged to challenge any unlawful terminations resulting from this directive.
Political and Public Discourse
The mandate has sparked a broader debate about management practices, employee rights, and the role of private-sector methodologies in public service. While some argue that increased accountability could enhance efficiency, others contend that such approaches undermine morale and disregard the unique challenges of government work.
Senator John Curtis (R-Utah) expressed concerns over Musk’s approach, urging for a dose of compassion in the process. He emphasized that these decisions impact real lives and livelihoods, and that it’s possible to cut costs without being cruel.
Conclusion
Elon Musk’s directive for federal employees to report their weekly accomplishments under threat of termination has ignited a significant controversy within the U.S. government. As agencies grapple with the mandate, and unions prepare to defend their members, the situation underscores the complexities of implementing private-sector efficiency models within public institutions. The coming days will likely see further developments as the administration, federal employees, and the public navigate this contentious directive.
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