The emails were prompted by Elon Musk, the billionaire head of the Department of Government Efficiency, who warned on social media that not responding to the request would be considered a resignation.
In a social media post, Musk stated, “All federal employees will soon receive an email asking for a summary of their weekly achievements. Failure to respond will be treated as a resignation.”
This directive came shortly after President Donald Trump urged for aggressive downsizing and restructuring of the federal workforce, particularly mentioning the Department of Government Efficiency.
Employees from various federal agencies, including the SEC, NOAA, CDC, and others, received emails with the subject line “What did you do last week?” The message requested a response with five bullet points outlining their accomplishments and required them to copy their managers.
Sent from an HR address at the Office of Personnel Management, the email granted employees until Monday night to reply. The legal implications of Musk’s ultimatum remain unclear, especially regarding employees handling sensitive information.
Despite some jurisdictional discrepancies, employees from the federal judiciary and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also received the email. The AFGE union vowed to challenge any wrongful terminations, criticizing the haphazard firing process initiated by Musk and the Trump administration.
Concerns have been raised over potential service disruptions and economic impacts resulting from the indiscriminate job cuts. While Musk has been touted as a leader of DOGE, the White House clarified that he holds no official authority over the program.
Some agencies advised employees to refrain from responding until the validity of the emails is confirmed, acknowledging the irregularity and unexpected nature of the directive. Federal workers, already reeling from recent mass firings, expressed frustration at the additional pressure to demonstrate productivity.
