On April 24, President Trump issued an executive order that proposes changes to federal probationary periods. The executive order establishes “Civil Service Rule XI,” which requires agencies to actively certify that a probationary employee’s continued employment would advance the public interest. Under this executive order, probationary employees would be automatically terminated without certification from their agency. Prior to this executive order, probationary employees could only be removed for issues related to performance or conduct and would otherwise automatically transfer out of their probationary status once their probationary period ended.   

The executive order also places the burden on probationary employees to demonstrate how their continued employment in the federal government advances the public interest.  

The executive order only applies to federal employees completing probationary periods for competitive service or expected service and does not apply to those in Senior Executive Service.