Executive Order 13843: Administrative Law Judges Removed From Competitive Service
President Trump signed Executive Order 13843 on July 10, 2018, removing Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) from the competitive civil service system. The order allows agencies to hire and fire ALJs without the hiring protections and merit-based requirements previously mandated by the competitive service. This change directly affects ALJs' job security and hiring processes across federal agencies, including those at the Social Security Administration, Department of Labor, and other regulatory bodies.