Federal Employees & OPM’s Email Confusion: What You Need to Know

If you’re a federal employee, you may have received the now-infamous “What Did You Do Last Week?” email from OPM over the weekend. What started as a seemingly routine request quickly spiraled into controversy, thanks to conflicting agency instructions, concerns over data security, and a series of dramatic statements from Elon Musk.

Let’s break down the key issues and what you need to know.

Do You Have to Respond?

Many federal agencies have told employees they are not required to respond. In fact, HHS has explicitly warned that responding could expose sensitive data to foreign actors. Despite this, Musk has doubled down, first claiming that non-responders would be considered as having resigned, and later stating that they would be fired.

The good news? There is no legal basis for treating silence as a resignation in most cases. Federal employees have due process rights under 5 U.S.C. 7513 and MSPB case law, meaning you cannot be removed without notice, evidence, and appeal rights.

What Should You Do?

• If you haven’t yet, forward the email to your supervisor and ask for guidance—even if the deadline has passed.
• Follow your agency’s instructions. Many agencies have advised against responding.
• If you’re in a union, check with them. They may have additional guidance.

AI and Federal Job Reviews: A Dangerous Precedent

According to Musk, responses to the OPM email will be fed into an AI system to assess whether federal jobs are mission-critical. But how can AI fairly judge employees' roles when:

• There’s no job description.
• There’s no performance plan.
• There’s no context—just a one-time, five-bullet-point email.

Any serious workforce review would rely on official job descriptions, performance plans, and mission-critical functions—not a vague self-reporting email that employees weren’t even told would be used in this way. If this process were truly about efficiency, it would have been transparent and deliberate from the start.

A Ruse or an Experiment on Federal Employees?

To add to the confusion, Musk later suggested that the email was simply a test to see if federal employees were capable of replying to an email. This raises serious concerns about how federal employees’ time—and taxpayer dollars—are being used.

If you’re frustrated by how this is being handled, consider contacting your elected officials through Resist.Bot to express your concerns about the misuse of government resources.

Stay Informed & Protect Your Rights

This situation is still developing, and federal employees must stay informed. Join The Mindful Federal Employee Power Hub Membership to gain access to expert guidance on protecting your career, understanding your rights, and staying calm amid agency uncertainty.

🔹 Don’t let misinformation dictate your career.
🔹 Stay proactive, mindful, and informed.

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