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Sen. John Curtis Advocates for Compassion in Elon Musk’s Policies for Federal Employees
Senator John Curtis (R-Utah) expressed concerns about tech billionaire Elon Musk’s management style regarding federal workers, emphasizing the need for a more compassionate approach.
During an interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” Curtis shared insights from his experience as a mayor, urging Musk to consider the human impact of his policies. “If I can say one thing to Elon Musk, it’s like, ‘Please put a dose of compassion in this. These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages,’” he stated.
This call for empathy comes in response to Musk’s recent warning to federal employees about a new directive mandating that they provide weekly updates on their work efforts via email. The announcement, aligned with directives from former President Trump, indicated that failure to comply would be viewed as a resignation.
Musk conveyed this message through his social media platform, X, stating, “Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week.”
A review of the email revealed that employees were instructed to reply with approximately five bullet points detailing their accomplishments for the previous week and to copy their managers on the response, with a deadline set for 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday.
In a follow-up statement, Musk mentioned that he was encouraged by the “good responses” he had received from federal workers. He highlighted the importance of treating employees with respect during transitions, saying, “To offboard someone with grace and compassion is mission critical to every organization.”
In a recent op-ed for Deseret News, Curtis reiterated his argument against the vilification of dedicated federal employees. He advocated for recognizing their efforts even amid challenges that can come from bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of leadership. Curtis expressed his concerns about Musk’s approach, labeling it “reckless and rash.”
During the CBS interview, Curtis commented on the nature of the communication sent to federal employees, suggesting it could have been framed more thoughtfully. “I would ask my employees to let me know what they’re doing,” he said, adding, “But I will double down on the fact of, we don’t need to be so cold and hard, and let’s put a little compassion and, quite frankly, dignity in this as well.”
The Hill has contacted the White House for further commentary on this situation.
Source
thehill.com