WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new presidential memorandum directs executive departments and agencies to reject any collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) signed in the final 30 days of a prior administration that would create new obligations, modify existing rules, or extend the duration of current agreements.
The directive comes in response to agreements made during the outgoing administration’s final days. One example cited in the memorandum is a CBA finalized by the Department of Education on January 17, 2025, which includes a provision that prevents the agency from calling remote employees back to the office.
Under the new rule, agency heads are required to disapprove any such last-minute agreements that have not yet received final approval. The memorandum specifically excludes from this policy any CBAs made for law enforcement officers, as defined by applicable federal law.
According to the memorandum, the overall purpose of the directive is to ensure that policies established during the closing days of an administration do not impose constraints on the authority of a newly inaugurated President. The memorandum emphasizes that these measures are intended to preserve the executive branch’s ability to manage its operations effectively under new leadership.
The Office of Personnel Management has been instructed to publish the memorandum in the Federal Register, thereby making it an official part of government policy.
