Hiring Freeze Created by Executive Order
A few days ago, FedSmith published an article noting that President Trump would issue an executive order implementing a hiring freeze on his first day in office.
He did issue an Executive Order entitled “Hiring Freeze”. As noted earlier, Karoline Leavitt, now the youngest White House press secretary in history, said, “The American people can bank on President Trump using his executive power on day one to deliver on the promises he made to them on the campaign trail.”
The hiring freeze is similar to the one issued when he took office in 2017.
The new Executive Order states:
As part of this freeze, no Federal civilian position that is vacant at noon on January 20, 2025, may be filled, and no new position may be created except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or other applicable law. Except as provided below, this freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of their sources of operational and programmatic funding.
Moreover, nothing in this memorandum shall adversely impact the provision of Social Security, Medicare, or Veterans’ benefits. In addition, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary.
The Office of Personnel Management has issued guidance on the hiring freeze.
Other Exemptions to Executive Order
The Order also exempts “the nomination and appointment of officials to positions requiring Presidential appointment or Senate confirmation…” It also exempts non-career positions in the Senior Executive Service (SES) and some other non-career positions.
Finally, it notes that the Order does not abrogate any labor contracts that are now in effect.
Freeze on New Regulations
Another Executive Order issued today is entitled Regulatory Freeze Pending Review.
This Order orders agencies not to propose or issue any rule, including sending a rule to the Office of the Federal Register, until a department or agency head appointed by President Trump reviews and approves the rule.
This Order is designed to halt any orders issued by agencies while President Biden was in office. It does allow the Office of Management and Budget director or acting director to exempt any rule necessary to address emergencies or “urgent circumstances.”
It also orders agencies to withdraw any rules already sent to the Federal Register but not published. It also puts a hold on any recently issued ruled that have been issued but are not yet effective.