OPM guidance strips language saying response to emails is 'explicitly voluntary'

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) quietly updated a privacy impact assessment on its efforts to email all federal workers, stripping language indicating that responses from the staffers were “explicitly voluntary.”

The Friday update came ahead of a second email spearheaded by Elon Musk demanding federal workers provide a list of five bullet points recapping what they accomplished the week prior.

OPM prepared a privacy impact assessment after it was sued for its creation of a database of federal employees using the hr@opm.gov email.

Now gone is language indicating employees have no obligation to respond, while leaving unclear whether failure to do so will be taken as a “resignation” like Musk previously said.

“Individual federal government employees can decline to provide information by not responding to the email. The consequences for failure to provide the requested information will vary depending on the particular email at issue,” the document states.

The document still concludes that “there is a risk that individuals will not know their information is being collected, maintained, and distributed through the [government-wide email system].”

Kel McClanahan, an attorney representing multiple government employees who sued over the email distribution system citing privacy concerns, criticized OPM for the shift.

“While one might commend OPM for officially acknowledging that it blatantly misrepresented the facts to the public and a federal judge about the ‘voluntariness’ of responses to these mass emails, nobody should lose sight of the fact that OPM blatantly misrepresented the facts to the public and a federal judge,” he said in a statement to The Hill.

“Quietly editing an official document while loudly proclaiming that there is nothing to see here is hardly commendable.”

The change follows resistance from some agency leaders who instructed employees not to respond, reflecting a turf war between some Cabinet members and Musk.

The update will no doubt lead to more confusion among federal workers about the emails and whether they must respond.

While some agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security kicked off an internal process for listing their accomplishments, others still directed employees to send their responses to the OPM email.

Other agencies, like the State Department, are still advising employees not to respond.

—Updated at 12:31 p.m. EST

Topics

OPM now says email survey to federal workforce is ‘voluntary’

NBC News Correspondents Vaughn Hillyard and Ken Dilanian explain the latest actions by Elon Musk’s DOGE commission as the Trump administration continues to reshape the federal workforce. NBC News ...
NBC News - 6d
OPM tells HR leaders that response to Musk is 'voluntary'

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) informed agency leaders that employee response to an email asking for a recap of what they accomplished last week is voluntary and that failure to do so ...
The Hill - Feb. 24
OPM says Musk's ultimatum is voluntary after a weekend of confusion

Confusion continued Monday as Elon Musk’s deadline for federal workers to detail their accomplishments from the previous week continues to be met with mixed messages.
ABC News - 6d
Trump Administration, Breaking With Musk’s Directive, Says Replying to His Email Is Voluntary

The response to Elon Musk’s “What did you do last week?” email to federal employees suggests that there may be limits to how far he can push the government’s work force.
The New York Times - 6d
Trump says workers who don't reply to OPM email will eventually lose jobs

President Trump on Tuesday said workers who do not respond to an email from the Office of Personnel Management prompted by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency will eventually be fired. ...
CBS News - 5d
Musk’s OPM email: Midnight deadline nears amid widespread confusion

The deadline given to federal employees by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Elon Musk over the weekend is quickly approaching, but widespread confusion remains as agencies tell workers ...
The Hill - Feb. 24
Hegseth calls for DOD civilian employees to comply with OPM email directive

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Sunday he is now directing all department civilian employees to respond to emails from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) asking for a recap of what ...
The Hill - 1d
Live updates: Trump, Macron talk Russia-Ukraine war; Musk email reply now voluntary

President Trump appeared alongside French President Emmanuel Macron for a press conference Monday afternoon at the White House, after meeting on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of ...
The Hill - Feb. 24
Patel tells FBI employees to pause any responses to DOGE email

FBI Director Kash Patel told employees to hold off on responding to an email, sent at tech billionaire Elon Musk’s direction, asking federal workers to list their accomplishments during the ...
The Hill - Feb. 23