Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, WHITE HOUSE NEWS—Trump administration imposes hiring freeze, (Oct 17, 2025)
Organizations Mentioned:Executive Office of the President
By WK Editorial Staff
Agencies are barred from creating or filling positions unless legally required or explicitly exempted.
On October 15, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order imposing a broad hiring freeze across the federal civilian workforce to reinforce accountability and reduce government size. Agencies are barred from creating or filling positions unless legally required or explicitly exempted. All hiring must comply with the Merit Hiring Plan issued by the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the Director of OPM on May 29, 2025, per Executive Order 14170. Strategic Hiring Committees, which must be set up by agency heads within 30 days, must review and approve any hiring decisions to ensure alignment with the administration’s priorities and cost-efficiency.
Within 60 days, agencies must also submit annual staffing plans and quarterly updates to justify hiring needs and demonstrate progress. Exceptions include roles in national security, immigration enforcement, public safety, certain political appointments, and temporary positions. The order builds on previous directives aimed at streamlining government operations and mandates strict compliance with the Merit Hiring Plan. It also forbids agencies to “circumvent” the freeze through contracting.
Exceptions. According to its terms, the order does not apply to:
Non-career political positions (e.g., Senate-confirmed, SES non-career, Schedule C or G roles);
The Executive Office of the President and components thereof;
Military personnel;
Roles tied to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety;
Temporary hires under 5 U.S.C. § 3161;
Any other hires as explicitly approved by agency or OPM leadership; or
Any that are required by existing law or later granted exceptions by OPM (including those previously exempted by memoranda in January and July).
An implementation report must be submitted by the directors of OPM and OMB withing 180 days of the order.
News: WhiteHouseNews PublicEmployees AgencyNews