Federal employees across multiple agencies received emails over the weekend instructing them to document their work or risk dismissal, following an order issued by Elon Musk, head of the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The move is part of an effort by President Donald Trump and Musk to overhaul the federal workforce, a process that has already resulted in mass firings, an end to remote work, and a broad restructuring of government agencies.
"Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager. Please do not send any classified information, links, or attachments," the email, sent from the Office of Personnel Management's HR address, stated. Copies obtained by CNN showed emails marked as high priority, with some recipients describing the directive as unprecedented.
Musk, in a post on X, warned that failure to comply would be considered a resignation. "Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week," Musk wrote. Hours later, he added, "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."
The directive sent shockwaves through the federal workforce, with employee unions scrambling to determine its legality. Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, condemned the move. "It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life," Kelley said in a statement. He vowed legal action to challenge any unlawful terminations.
Union leaders said their members were in a state of confusion and fear. "I don't have any clue what in the world that email means either," one union president told CNN, adding that employees were told to "stand by" until further guidance was issued. Another union leader advised members not to respond immediately and to wait for legal advice.
The demand for immediate accountability raised practical concerns, particularly for employees on vacation, sick leave, or those working on classified assignments. "Are they subject to termination because they are not available to respond?" one union official asked. Another federal worker described the directive as "insulting" and "absolutely mind-blowing," noting that agencies already track employee activity.
The Trump administration's aggressive approach to reducing the size of the federal government has already led to thousands of firings and a buyout program that encouraged departures. Trump's executive order last month ended remote work options, forced employees back into offices, and created new rules allowing political appointees to replace career civil servants.
Trump has repeatedly praised Musk's efforts, calling him a "patriot" and urging him to be more aggressive in reducing the federal workforce. "ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE. REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Musk responded, "Will do, Mr. President!"
The White House has not commented on the legality of Musk's directive, but it marks the latest escalation in the administration's attempt to reshape federal employment. Musk's leadership of DOGE has already led to cuts across numerous agencies and attempts to gain access to sensitive government data.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, Trump reinforced his administration's stance, boasting about his government buyout program, which he claimed resulted in approximately 75,000 employees leaving their positions. "We want to make government smaller, more efficient. We want to keep the best people, and we're not going to keep the worst people," he said. "If they don't report for work, we're firing them."
The mandate could face immediate legal challenges from federal employee unions, which have pledged to push back against what they view as an overreach. The Monday deadline, set for 11:59 p.m. ET, leaves little time for employees to navigate the directive, raising concerns about whether a failure to comply will lead to terminations that could be contested in court.
The restructuring of the federal workforce has been one of Musk's primary tasks since taking over DOGE, which has been tasked with eliminating inefficiencies, cutting government spending, and ending diversity initiatives. However, critics argue that the effort has primarily targeted career civil servants while placing untested political appointees in key positions.
