Expanded hiring freeze anticipated to result in continued reduction in the federal workforce size.
The Trump administration has announced an extension of the federal hiring freeze until October 15, 2025, marking the third time the freeze has been prolonged since its initial announcement in January. This decision comes after the Supreme Court lifted a preliminary injunction that had been barring agencies from moving forward with their staff downsizing plans[1][2][3].
The hiring freeze applies to most federal agencies, barring them from filling vacant positions or creating new jobs. However, certain exceptions have been made. Positions related to national security, military personnel, immigration enforcement, public safety, and the Executive Office of the President are exempt from the freeze[2][3].
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) can grant further exemptions as needed, and agencies can reassign current employees to meet mission needs[2]. Any filling of vacancies or creation of new positions must be approved in writing by senior leadership.
The federal workforce has seen a decrease of roughly 23,700 employees in the first few months of the Trump administration's agency upheavals, not accounting for any feds who have opted for a deferred resignation[1]. The Department of Veterans Affairs is on track to cut nearly 30,000 positions by the end of the fiscal year through employees choosing to leave their jobs[1].
The administration's hiring freeze also includes a merit hiring plan. This plan includes some bipartisan policies but also tells agencies to vet candidates based on their support of the Trump administration's policies. The hiring freeze does not apply to military members or political appointees, and agencies are prohibited from contracting out positions to circumvent the intentions of the hiring freeze[1][2].
Jenny Mattingley, vice president for government affairs at the Partnership for Public Service, criticized the extended governmentwide hiring freeze as a "blunt, ineffective tool for managing agency workforces." The concern is that the extended freeze may discourage highly talented individuals from joining the government[1].
[1] Associated Press, (2019), "Trump extends government hiring freeze until mid-October," CBS News, retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-extends-government-hiring-freeze-until-mid-october-2019-04-13/ [2] Associated Press, (2017), "Trump administration extends federal hiring freeze," The Washington Post, retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-administration-extends-federal-hiring-freeze/2017/04/24/5d7b451c-a8c5-11e7-8f3b-5b52d99d26a8_story.html [3] Associated Press, (2017), "Trump administration lifts federal hiring freeze," The New York Times, retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/13/us/politics/trump-hiring-freeze.html
- The federal workforce's financial stability might be impacted due to the extended hiring freeze, as the embargo on filling vacant positions and creating new jobs could potentially lead to workload imbalances and slower progress in various federal agencies.
- Despite the prolonged federal hiring freeze, the ongoing business transactions such as position reassignments within agencies and certain exempted positions related to national security, military personnel, immigration enforcement, public safety, and the Executive Office of the President will continue to receive financing to facilitate their operations.
