Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, attacked an Office of Personnel Management proposal requiring federal workers to sign nondisclosure agreements as a condition of employment. The rule, set to publish in the Federal Register, represents what Kelley calls the administration's latest push to suppress dissent within the civil service.

Kelley characterized the NDA requirement as part of a broader strategy to remove nonpartisan career employees and replace them with political loyalists. He argued the policy silences federal workers and undermines the independence of the federal workforce. The statement suggests the administration seeks to consolidate control over agency personnel by eliminating employees willing to challenge directives.

The proposed rule applies to current and prospective employees at participating agencies. NDAs typically restrict employees from disclosing confidential or sensitive information. This version appears designed to limit employee speech beyond traditional security classifications.

The timing aligns with broader administration efforts to reshape federal workforce culture. Previous executive actions have targeted civil service protections, merit-based hiring, and employee unions. Each escalates pressure on the nonpartisan administrative infrastructure that predates current political leadership.

Federal employee unions have consistently opposed these changes as threats to institutional stability. They argue that career employees provide continuity and expertise across administrations. Restricting their ability to speak, even on unclassified matters, creates chilling effects on internal oversight and whistleblowing.

The NDA proposal will face public comment before implementation. Employee advocates will likely submit formal objections. Congressional Democrats may also scrutinize the rule, though the administration controls the executive agencies implementing policy.

This dispute reflects deeper tensions over executive power, civil service reform, and governmental accountability. The administration views career bureaucrats as impediments to policy execution. Federal employee groups see such measures as autocratic overreach.

The AFGE represents roughly 770,000 federal employees across most agencies. Its opposition carries