Federal Hiring Loyalty Question Blocked

US judge halts loyalty question for federal job applicants, citing constitutional free speech violations.

US judge has halted the use of a 'loyalty' question for job applicants by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which unions claimed unlawfully politicizes the hiring process for career government workers. The question, which was asked for applicants to positions ranging from air traffic control specialist to a nuclear materials courier, was seen as an attempt to determine the applicants' political views, despite the Civil Service Reform Act barring employment decisions based on political affiliation. The judge ruled that the question likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act by infringing on speech rights under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. The unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Association of Government Employee, welcomed the ruling, arguing that over 70,000 federal job postings had included the question.