You’ve probably heard the old joke that firing a federal employee is basically impossible—or at least requires an act of Congress and ten years of paperwork. Honestly, that’s not quite right. People think government workers are untouchable, like they’ve got some magical force field around their desks once they pass their first year. But as we sit here in 2026, the reality is shifting. Fast.
The short answer is yes. Federal employees can be fired. They get let go for sucking at their jobs, for breaking the law, or even just because the government decides a specific office doesn't need to exist anymore. But it isn't like the private sector where your boss can walk in on a Tuesday and say, "Hey, your shoes are ugly, you're done." There are rules. A lot of them.
The "Efficiency of the Service" Rule
If you're a career civil servant, the law says you can only be removed for "such cause as will promote the efficiency of the service." That sounds like a bunch of bureaucratic word salad, doesn't it? Basically, it means the agency has to prove that getting rid of you actually helps the government do its job better.
They can't just fire you because they don't like your personality.
Usually, removals fall into two big buckets: conduct and performance.
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Misconduct is the easy one. If you’re caught stealing laptops, harassing coworkers, or lying on your timecard, the agency can move to fire you under Chapter 75 of Title 5. In these cases, they have to show you actually did the thing you’re accused of. Performance-based removals (under Chapter 43) are a bit more of a slog for management. They have to put you on a Performance Improvement Plan—everyone calls it a PIP—and give you a genuine chance to fix your work. If you still can't cut it after the PIP, that's when the axe falls.
The 2026 Reality: Schedule Policy/Career and RIFs
If you've been watching the news lately, you know things are getting tense in D.C. There’s this thing called Schedule Policy/Career (which people used to call Schedule F) that’s making a lot of folks nervous. The idea is to take certain jobs—mostly the ones that involve policy-making or "confidential" advice—and move them into a different category where they don't have those long-term civil service protections.
If your job gets reclassified into this new schedule, you basically become an "at-will" employee. That means you could be fired much more easily, similar to a corporate job.
Then there’s the Reduction in Force (RIF). This isn’t about you being a bad worker. It’s about the money running out or an agency being reorganized. In a RIF, the government uses a point system to decide who stays and who goes. They look at:
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- How long you've been there (tenure).
- If you're a veteran (they get big-time preference).
- Your actual length of service.
- Your performance ratings.
If you have a high "retention standing," you might even have "bumping rights," where you can take a job from someone else with less seniority. It’s a messy, complicated process that keeps HR departments up at night.
The Probationary Period: The Danger Zone
If you’re in your first year (or sometimes first two years) of federal service, you’re a "probationer." During this time, you have almost no rights. Kinda scary, right?
An agency can let a probationary employee go with almost no notice. They don't have to give you a 30-day warning or a long appeals process. If they don't like your "fitness" for the job, they can hand you a letter on a Friday and that's it. Most of the famous "you can't fire them" stories definitely don't apply to people in their trial period.
How the Process Actually Works
Let's say you're a tenured employee and your boss wants you gone. They can't just stop paying you. There’s a specific "due process" rhythm they have to follow:
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- The Proposal: You get a formal "Notice of Proposed Removal." It’s a document that lists exactly what they think you did wrong.
- The Response: You usually get at least 7 to 15 days to fight back. You can give a written response, or you can actually show up (or jump on a Zoom call) to give an oral reply. You’re allowed to have a lawyer or a union rep with you.
- The Decision: A "Deciding Official"—usually someone higher up than your immediate boss—looks at the evidence and your defense. They decide if you stay, get a lesser punishment (like a suspension), or get fired.
- The Appeal: This is the big one. If they fire you, you can usually appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). This is an independent body that acts like a court for federal workers.
If the MSPB finds the agency messed up—maybe they didn't have enough evidence, or they were discriminating against you—they can order the agency to give you your job back with full back pay. This is exactly why managers are often hesitant to fire people; they don't want to spend three years in litigation only to have the employee walk back into the office with a huge check from the Treasury.
Misconceptions That Get People Into Trouble
A lot of people think that if they're a "whistleblower," they're invincible. Not true. While there are laws (like the Whistleblower Protection Act) that make it illegal to fire you because you reported wrongdoing, it doesn't give you a "get out of jail free" card for everything else. If you blow the whistle but then stop showing up for work, you can still get fired for being AWOL.
Another myth? That you can't be fired if you have a medical condition. While the Americans with Disabilities Act (and the Rehabilitation Act) requires agencies to provide "reasonable accommodations," they can still let you go if you simply cannot perform the essential functions of the job even with help.
Actionable Steps if You're Facing Removal
If the "bad letter" lands on your desk, don't panic, but don't wait.
- Request the "Evidence File": The agency is legally required to show you the evidence they used to propose your firing. Ask for it immediately. You can't defend yourself if you don't know what they have on you.
- Check Your SF-50: Your Standard Form 50 tells you exactly what "service" you're in (Competitive vs. Excepted) and whether you've completed your probationary period. This determines how many rights you have.
- Document Everything: Start a "log" at home. Note dates, times, and what was said in meetings. If your boss told you your work was great in June but is trying to fire you for poor performance in July, those records matter.
- Contact Your Union: If you're in a bargaining unit, call your steward. They know the contract and can often negotiate a "Last Chance Agreement" to save your career.
- Consult a Federal Employment Attorney: This is a specialized field. A regular divorce or criminal lawyer won't know the difference between Chapter 43 and Chapter 75. You need someone who speaks the language of the MSPB.
The landscape for federal workers is more volatile than it has been in decades. Between new executive orders and a push for more "accountability," the days of assuming a government job is a 30-year guarantee are probably over. Stay informed, keep your performance appraisals high, and always keep a copy of your personnel folder on a thumb drive at home.