Trump announces strategic reductions in agency workforce alongside details of enforced hiring restrictions
President Trump announced a 90-day federal hiring freeze on Monday, a move that follows his practice established when he took office in 2017. The freeze, however, excludes the military, positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, and public safety.
The memo allowing the Internal Revenue Service hiring freeze to be lifted if deemed "in the national interest" has been issued. On the other hand, the Office of Personnel Management has granted the authority for an unlimited number of temporary appointees.
The Trump administration and DOGE officials have proposed various methods to reduce agency workforces, including buyouts, early retirement incentives, relocating agencies, enforcing daily reporting instead of teleworking, and mass reductions in force. However, concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of these measures, with the Government Accountability Office stating that previous hiring freezes do not save money and exacerbate existing workforce problems.
Everett Kelley, president of American Federation of Government Employees, voiced his concern, stating that there is "no legitimate rationale" for slashing the federal workforce given its size has barely changed over the last 50 years while the U.S. population has grown significantly. The hiring freeze does not affect the distribution of Social Security, Medicare, or veterans benefits.
The proposed plans have received criticism for potentially making government agencies less responsive to the needs of the public. Good governance groups and federal employee unions, including the Partnership for Public Service, have criticized Trump's plans for a hiring freeze, with Max Stier, president of the Partnership for Public Service, calling it "management by autopilot". Stier also expressed concerns that the hiring freeze could leave agencies with hiring gaps in critical areas and deter talented workers.
The deployment of DOGE team members to various agencies has raised questions about transparency and the chain of command. Trump's memo prohibits contracting out to circumvent the hiring freeze, but the freeze does not apply to political appointments under Schedule C.
The search results do not provide specific information about which federal agencies President Trump ordered to develop plans to reduce their workforce size. The plans could leave agencies with hiring gaps in critical areas, particularly those with specialized skills. The proposed plans have also been criticized for their potential to sow chaos and target federal employees, as suggested by Kelley.
The hiring freeze does not prevent agencies from reallocating resources to meet essential needs, maintain services, and protect national security. Despite the concerns, the Trump administration maintains that the hiring freeze is necessary for efficient government operations. The future implications of this decision remain to be seen.
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