US judge blocks Trump administration's 'loyalty' question for job applicants
Judge George O’Toole Jr. said applicants faced irreparable harm and found no legitimate government interest in asking about political beliefs.
- On Friday, U.S. District Judge George O'Toole Jr. blocked the Office of Personnel Management from using a mandatory "loyalty question" in federal job applications, finding it likely violated First Amendment rights and the Administrative Procedure Act.
- President Donald Trump's January 2025 executive order, "Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service," directed the OPM to develop a hiring plan requiring applicants to explain how they would advance his executive orders and policy priorities.
- Over 70,000 federal job postings included the essay question, prompting unions including the American Federation of Government Employees to sue, arguing the requirement politicized nonpartisan hiring and compelled applicants to make political statements.
- Judge O'Toole ordered the OPM to notify all agency heads of the stay within seven days, halting use of the question while the court considers the unions' full claims against the administration's hiring plan.
- Democracy Forward, representing the plaintiffs, maintains the ruling protects the nonpartisan federal workforce because the court found the administration's inquiry lacked legitimate governmental interest and was not narrowly tailored to any compelling purpose.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Judge blocks Trump administration’s ‘loyalty’ question for job applicants
A federal judge on Friday blocked U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration from continuing to ask applicants for civil service jobs throughout the government to respond to what unions described as a partisan “loyalty question.”
US judge blocks Trump administration's 'loyalty' question for job applicants
A federal judge on Friday blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's administration from continuing to ask applicants for civil service jobs throughout the government to respond to what unions described as a partisan "loyalty question."
U.S. judge blocks Trump administration’s ‘loyalty’ question for job applicants | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
BOSTON >> A federal judge on Friday blocked U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration from continuing to ask applicants for civil service jobs throughout the government to respond to what unions described as a partisan “loyalty question.”
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