Extension of Hiring Freeze
This April 17, 2025, presidential memorandum extends a freeze on hiring for federal civilian employees through July 15, 2025.
The freeze applies to all executive branch agencies, barring exceptions for national security, public safety, immigration enforcement and essential services.
Future hiring must comply with a merit-based hiring plan.
Contracting to circumvent the freeze is prohibited, and agencies are instructed to use existing personnel efficiently.
The memorandum also does not affect the deadline for a plan to reduce the federal workforce.
Exceptions may be granted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
The freeze will remain in effect for the IRS until the Treasury Secretary determines otherwise and publishes a notice in the Federal Register.
Arguments For
Fiscal Responsibility: The hiring freeze helps control government spending by limiting the growth of the federal workforce. This aligns with efforts to reduce the overall size of government.
Increased Efficiency: By promoting the efficient use of existing personnel, the freeze may encourage agencies to streamline operations and improve service delivery. Agencies are instructed to prioritize internal resource allocation to address critical needs.
Merit-Based Hiring: The memorandum mandates that any future hiring must comply with a merit-based hiring plan, aiming to improve the quality of federal employees. This ties into broader efforts to reform the federal hiring process.
Legal Authority: The President's action is based on constitutional authority and existing laws.
Arguments Against
Hindered Government Services: The freeze may hinder the ability of agencies to effectively perform essential tasks due to staffing limitations and delay critical services. This could be particularly impactful in understaffed agencies.
Inefficient Resource Allocation: While the memorandum encourages internal reallocations, it may lead to inefficient resource distribution if agencies cannot easily find suitable personnel within their existing workforce to meet their needs.
Recruitment Challenges: The hiring freeze could make it harder for agencies to attract and retain top talent in crucial areas, ultimately impacting the overall quality and effectiveness of the federal government. Once the freeze is lifted hiring may become difficult.
Potential for Circumvention: While the document prohibits contractors being used to circumvent the freeze, its enforcement may prove challenging, potentially leading to unintended financial consequences such as increased reliance on expensive contractors.
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Extension of Hiring Freeze
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby extend through July 15, 2025, the freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees within the executive branch, as initially directed in the Presidential Memorandum of January 20, 2025 (Hiring Freeze). No Federal civilian position that is presently vacant may be filled, and no new position may be created, except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or required by applicable law. In addition, once a merit hiring plan has been adopted pursuant to Executive Order 14170 of January 20, 2025 (Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service), any hiring shall be consistent with that plan.
This section announces the extension of a hiring freeze for federal civilian employees to July 15, 2025.
The President invokes their constitutional authority to issue this order.
The freeze prevents filling existing vacancies and creating new positions.
Future hiring must also align with existing merit hiring plans.
Except as provided below, this freeze continues to apply to all executive departments and agencies (agencies) regardless of their sources of operational and programmatic funding. This memorandum does not affect the deadline for the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit a plan for reducing the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition, as provided in Executive Order 14210 of February 11, 2025 (Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative).
The hiring freeze broadly applies to all executive departments and agencies, irrespective of their funding sources.
This directive does not impact the existing timeline for submitting a plan to reduce the federal workforce via increased efficiency and attrition.
This memorandum does not apply to military personnel of the Armed Forces or to positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety, and does not apply to the Executive Office of the President or the components thereof. Positions that fall within these categories do not require review by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Moreover, nothing in this memorandum shall adversely impact the provision of Social Security, Medicare, or veterans’ benefits. In addition, the Director of OPM may continue to grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary. Exemptions previously granted by OPM shall remain in effect unless withdrawn by OPM.
The freeze has exceptions.
It does not affect military personnel, immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety roles, nor positions within the Executive Office of the President.
Social Security, Medicare, and veteran's benefits are also unaffected.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) can grant exemptions as needed, and existing exemptions remain valid unless revoked.
Contracting outside the Federal Government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum is prohibited.
Using outside contractors to avoid the hiring freeze is strictly forbidden.
In carrying out this memorandum, the heads of agencies shall seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of those services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations or reassignments to meet the highest priority needs; maintain essential services; and protect national security, homeland security, and public safety.
Agencies are directed to maximize the efficient use of existing staff and funds to improve service delivery and prioritize crucial needs.
Internal personnel reassignments are permitted when needed for essential services or national security.
This memorandum does not restrict the nomination and appointment of officials to positions requiring Presidential appointment or Senate confirmation; the appointment of officials to non-career positions in the Senior Executive Service or to Schedule A or C positions in the Excepted Service; the appointment of officials through temporary organization hiring authority pursuant to section 3161 of title 5, United States Code; or the appointment of any other non-career employees or officials if approved by the head of an agency appointed by the President. Moreover, it does not limit the hiring of personnel where such a limit would conflict with applicable law.
The memorandum does not limit the appointment of officials requiring Senate confirmation or those in non-career roles, including the Senior Executive Service or Excepted Service positions, provided appropriate approval is obtained.
The hiring freeze also does not override any legal requirements for personnel hiring.
This memorandum shall remain in effect for the Internal Revenue Service until the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Director of OMB and the Administrator of the United States DOGE Service, determines that it is in the national interest to terminate the freeze and publishes notice of such determination in the Federal Register.
For the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the hiring freeze will persist until the Treasury Secretary, in agreement with the OMB director and the US DOGE Service administrator, decides otherwise and publishes a notice.
This memorandum does not abrogate any collective bargaining agreement in effect on the date of this memorandum.
This order does not cancel any current collective bargaining agreements.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Presidential signature