New Federal Rule Threatens Job Protections for Grant Officers

A new federal employment classification that took effect March 9 could strip civil service protections from tens of thousands of federal workers — including the grant reviewers and program officers who decide which scientific research and community projects receive funding.

What Schedule Policy/Career Changes for Grant Reviewers

Under the final rule published by the Office of Personnel Management on February 6, employees in "policy-influencing" roles face reclassification into Schedule Policy/Career, a new category that converts them to at-will status. OPM estimates approximately 50,000 positions could be affected, though the Association of American Medical Colleges suggests the actual figure could be four times higher.

For employees at the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and other research funding agencies, the classification targets roles with "substantive discretion in grant-making or funding decisions." Reclassified workers would lose appeal rights, the ability to petition terminations, and access to the Office of Special Counsel's whistleblower process. Complaints would instead be routed to internal agency investigations.

Reclassified employees also lose eligibility for recruitment and retention incentives, student loan repayment programs, and Presidential Rank Awards.

OPM Director Scott Kupor defended the policy: "People are free to agree or disagree with any of the president's priorities. The only impact is if disagreement leads them to actively thwart or undermine execution of those priorities."

Why Research Advocates Are Sounding the Alarm

Scientific organizations warn the change could politicize the merit review process that underpins federal research funding. If grant program officers can be fired without traditional due process, the concern is that funding decisions could shift toward political considerations rather than scientific merit.

Max Stier of the Partnership for Public Service called the policy "bad for our government" and predicted it would "lead to worse, incompetent government."

The Legal Challenge Taking Shape

A coalition lawsuit argues Schedule Policy/Career violates due process protections, exceeds presidential authority, and contradicts federal statute. Plaintiffs warn the rule's broad language could eventually reach far beyond the initial 50,000-position estimate.

Grant applicants should prepare for potential processing delays as agencies navigate the transition. Grantedai.com tracks federal grant policy changes and their impact on the funding pipeline.

In-depth analysis of how workforce policy changes affect grant processing is available on the Granted blog.