Onerous federal regulations could stymie the Trump administration’s efforts to lay off the most entrenched and highest-paid government workers

Government layoffs are governed by complicated regulations that give extraordinary rights to people who have worked for the government the longest.

They often keep the same pay grade after nabbing a subordinate’s job, resulting in overpaying people to do menial jobs, while getting rid of the freshest and most affordable talent.

The losers at the end of this bureaucratic game of musical chairs are paid severance.

This week alone, the Department of Education laid off half its workforce.

OPM and the Office of Management and Budget told agencies that layoffs should be done on an expedited timetable.

Agencies were instructed to identify the “competitive areas” subject to RIF by March 13 .

Layoffs can be appealed to the Merit Systems Protection Board , which has already blocked numerous actions by the Trump administration.