The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has informed its employees that they no longer need to submit weekly emails summarizing their work accomplishments. This change comes after a directive from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in February, which required federal employees to send five bullet points outlining their achievements from the previous workweek. In an email, the NIH clarified that employees can disregard any future reminders or instructions related to this OPM directive.
The email stated, “As an operating division of HHS, NIH manages its own performance review process and will notify employees directly if any information related to work duties or performance is needed.
This shift follows a broader trend under President Donald Trump’s adviser, Elon Musk, who has advocated for increased accountability among federal employees. Musk’s initiative mandated that all federal employees justify their work or face possible dismissal. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the NIH, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter.
NiH updates employee performance reviews
Cybersecurity experts have raised concerns over the initiative, warning that the emails could pose security risks. Some employees reported being instructed to abandon the practice of sending summary emails.
Politico reported that NIH’s decision to cease the practice might be a sign that the agency’s recently confirmed director, Jay Bhattacharya, is open to diverging from Musk’s directives. Discussions on the r/fednews subreddit revealed mixed experiences among federal employees, with some still required to send the emails and others not having been asked to do so for weeks. Musk’s special appointment to the Trump administration is set to expire at the end of May unless extended by President Trump.
Last week, Trump praised Musk as “fantastic, and a patriot,” but noted that Musk might soon want to return to his business ventures full time.
Image Credits: Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
