WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump ordered an extension of his freeze on hiring rank-and-file federal workers through Oct. 15, to lock in savings from layoffs and deferred retirements.
Trump has reduced the federal workforce by tens of thousands. For example, the Department of Veterans Affairs said on July 7 it had reduced its workforce by 17,000 since January and aimed to shrink it another 12,000 through attrition by the end of the fiscal year ending on Sept. 30. The department began the year with 484,000 workers.
Trump’s order says, “No Federal civilian position that is vacant may be filled, and no new position may be created” except for exemptions or as required by law. His previous hiring freeze, ordered in January, had been extended through July 15 and has now been extended again.
Congress designates some agency functions in statute, which require a change in law to abolish, while others are created by agency chiefs and can be eliminated. Lawmakers are debating whether to agree with some of the administration’s decisions to dismantle agencies and reduce the workforce.
“Contracting outside the Federal Government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum is prohibited,” the order says. The heads of agencies “shall seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of those services,” the order says.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said a department-wide reduction in workforce was “off the table,” but officials would continue to look for ways to make the agency more efficient.
“Our review has resulted in a host of new ideas for better serving Veterans that we will continue to pursue,” Collins said.
The hiring freeze exempts the executive office of the president, officials he appoints directly, the military, immigration enforcement, national security or public safety.
Trump said the director of the Office of Personnel Management could grant exceptions to the policy as “otherwise necessary.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump extends federal hiring freeze with some exceptions
