Musk’s demand that fed employees list accomplishments roils workforce: ‘Mass civil disobedience’

Elon Musk, the chair of the Department of Government Efficiency, has caused a stir within the federal workforce by announcing that federal employees must report their accomplishments from the previous week or face termination. This directive has sparked backlash from some Democratic lawmakers and unions, who are urging employees to resist the order.

Illinois Democratic Rep. Sean Casten took to social media to encourage federal employees to engage in mass civil disobedience against Musk’s directive. He criticized Musk’s decision, calling it arrogant and questioning the logic behind requiring intelligence officers, VA workers, and air traffic controllers to spend time documenting their accomplishments.

Musk defended his directive, stating that federal employees would receive an email instructing them to list their accomplishments from the previous week. He emphasized that the task should take less than five minutes to complete and that failure to respond by the deadline would result in termination. This initiative is part of Musk and DOGE’s efforts to investigate government overspending, fraud, and mismanagement.

Unions, including the National Treasury Employees Union and the American Federation of Government Employees, have criticized Musk’s directive, calling it disrespectful and unnecessary. They have advised employees to ignore the order and have promised to challenge any unlawful terminations.

President Donald Trump, who has been supportive of Musk’s efforts, praised the Department of Government Efficiency for its work in rooting out government waste, fraud, and abuse. He lauded Musk for his role in the initiative and promised to remove corrupt and incompetent bureaucrats from the federal workforce.

Despite the backlash, Musk remains steadfast in his decision, citing concerns about government employees who are not fulfilling their duties. He emphasized the importance of accountability and efficiency within the federal workforce.

As federal employees grapple with Musk’s directive, agencies like the FBI, State Department, and NSA are working to coordinate their responses. The controversy surrounding Musk’s directive highlights the ongoing tension between government efficiency and employee autonomy.