Administration Established Schedule G Hiring Classification
The new hiring category impacts agency personnel management for businesses interacting with federal departments.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in People
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In July 2025, the administration created the Schedule G job classification for political appointees, with the earliest hire taking office in August 2025. Current records indicate at least 25 individuals now serve under this designation.
Why it matters
The classification was introduced to improve operations at the Department of Veterans Affairs, marking a shift in how political appointees are integrated into specific federal agencies. This change represents a significant adjustment to federal personnel management frameworks.
At least 25 individuals currently serve under the Schedule G classification, with 22 of those placements located within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This hiring shift occurred alongside a 40-year high in the total number of Schedule C political appointees installed.
The players
Office of Personnel Management
The federal agency responsible for managing the civil service and establishing hiring regulations for executive branch departments.
Department of Veterans Affairs
The federal department responsible for healthcare and benefit programs for veterans, serving as the primary site for Schedule G appointments.
The details
The administration utilized implementing guidance from the Office of Personnel Management to install these appointees before formalizing the rule. Agencies are currently required to report this appointee data to OPM to update records on civil service and political roles. The structure allows for the direct appointment of individuals to positions that may have previously followed different hiring protocols.
Timeline
July 2025: President issued executive order creating Schedule G.
August 2025: The first Schedule G appointee began service.
September 2026: OPM proposed a formal rule to establish the classification in regulation.
October 2026: Agency data identified 25 total Schedule G appointees.
November 17, 2026: Deadline for public comment on the proposed regulation.
Market Landscape
The introduction of Schedule G follows a period of record-setting political appointments under the existing Schedule C classification over the last 40 years. This development signals a broader administrative trend toward adjusting personnel rules within executive departments.
Operators managing federal contracts or seeking grants should monitor how these personnel shifts impact agency decision-making and project timelines. Businesses should prepare for potential adjustments in agency leadership and policy priorities as these new appointees assume their roles.
The takeaway
The installation of Schedule G appointees marks a distinct change in federal hiring authority that contractors and partners should account for in long-term planning. Monitor the outcome of the OPM rule-making process to understand if this classification will be codified into permanent regulation.
What happens next
Public comments on the proposed rule for the Schedule G classification are due by November 17, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving composition of the federal workforce, read the People section.
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