How dare you ask such a question! You're not the boss of me! You can't fire me! I don't have to tell you what I did to get paid, I have a government job...
Apparently, DOGE (Elon Musk) emailed government workers to give five bullet points of what they did in their job the past week or else it would be considered an intent of resignation. There are over 3 million federal employees getting paid by the tax payers. The median (average) pay for a federal employee is just over $100,000. Is it unreasonable to ask for a little accountability? Out of 3 million workers is it possible that a few may not be essential? And, if you're not essential, why am I paying you?
If you work, you should be able to describe what you did to earn you pay. Five bullet points for a week's work doesn't seem unreasonable. Granted, being let go for not complying could go a bit too far. However, if one can't justify being on the payroll perhaps it is time to go.
A good employer evaluates the need for employees. Sometimes in balancing the flow of money it is necessary to trim the workforce or hire more. Either way, the ability to pay the employee(s) determines if they can continue working. That's one way of looking at employees. But if that is the only way of determining the employee's continued employment it only benefits the employee and what a nice employer you are.
In reality, the need for employees is based on the job. There is a job to be done and someone is hired to do the job. When the job is completed the person is no longer needed. Many jobs are ongoing and require employees to continue on. If the employee does not fulfill the job or cannot do the job, they need to find a job they can do, or will do. It is not out of line to ask what an employee did or why it wasn't done.
Let's encourage our employees to show up to work, do a job and give an account for their time. We can't afford to pay for who we have now (as we're running a deficit, that is to say, in the red) so questioning the legitimacy of ones job only seems reasonable.
Go to work, make your employer proud they hired you!
