Employees connected to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are reportedly updating government software that would automate the firing of federal workers.
In a report on Tuesday, Wired revealed that DOGE had obtained access to a Department of Defense software program called AutoRIF — which is shorthand for Automated Reduction in Force.
The software was designed to create lists of employees eligible to be fired.
"However, even with the use of any automated system, the [Office of Personnel Management] guidance says all data has to be confirmed manually and that employees (or their representative) are allowed to examine the registers," one former government human resources official told Wired.
DOGE's access to AutoRIF could eliminate the requirement for manual intervention. Former Tesla engineer Riccardo Biasini's name was connected to changes to the software, sources told Wired. Biasini was also linked to DOGE's so-called buyout offer for government employees.
"With new software and the use of AI, some government employees fear that large-scale terminations could roll out even more quickly," Wired reported.
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The first wave of terminations targeted probationary employees who did not have civil service protections because they were recently hired, promoted or changed roles. A second wave of firings was expected to go after protected employees. The AutoRIF software could be a significant component in accelerating that effort.
