Editor's note: This updates with National Park Service response regarding the questionnaire.
Applicants for seasonal positions at Everglades National Park in Florida are being asked to explain how their commitment to the U.S. Constitution "inspired" them to apply for the job, and how they would "help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities."
The application form, for interpretive roles, says responses are optional and won't be used for scoring the candidate's suitability for the job.
But the question pertaining to President Donald Trump's Executive Orders — "How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired." — might raise legal questions.
"I am amazed that lawsuits have not nixed that third question," a National Park Service veteran said after reviewing the questions. "Even if it did not threaten the entire concept of nonpartisan civil service, it’s irrelevant to a fee collector, trail worker, or janitor. ... Optional? What happens if you don’t fill them out? It’s all about intimidation."
National Park Service staff in Washington, D.C., said the questions "give applicants a chance to reflect on their commitment to public service, including upholding the Constitution and supporting the lawful implementation of executive policies. While the responses are not scored and do not impact an applicant’s eligibility or competitiveness, they are reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership, or their designees, as part of the full application package. The intent is to encourage a strong culture of civic responsibility and public service within the federal workforce."
Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, said the questions have no place on job applications.
"These questions have nothing to do with whether a person is qualified for the job they are applying for. They are – pure and simple – 'loyalty' questions," said Wade in an email. "They cleverly stuck in the question on 'commitment to the Constitution' as a way of minimizing the appearance that it all has to do with loyalty to the administration – even though this administration itself isn’t very loyal to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States. No one should be fooled by the fact that answers to these questions are 'optional' and won’t be used for 'scoring.' They are likely to be used to 'screen out' applicants who don’t answer, or whose answers aren’t liked."
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