Overview
- A memo signed by Undersecretary of Defense Anthony Tata directs supervisors and HR to act with "speed and conviction" to separate civilian employees rated as performing unsuccessfully.
- The guidance tells managers to apply Douglas Factors in performance cases, warns leaders they will be held accountable for not addressing poor performance, and gives targeted employees seven days to contest adverse reviews.
- The Pentagon has not disclosed how many workers, if any, have been removed under the new process, and it offered no specific details in response to media inquiries.
- About 334,900 Defense civilians are furloughed during the shutdown, and a California federal court has blocked a separate administration effort to fire thousands of furloughed staff as likely illegal.
- The move follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s broader workforce reshaping—previously targeting roughly an 8 percent reduction—and critics fear the changes could be used to push out employees seen as out of step with the administration.