Title: The Real-Life Consequences of the Federal Hiring Freeze - The Atlantic
Headings: The Real-Life Consequences of the Federal Hiring Freeze
Business
The Real-Life Consequences of the Federal Hiring Freeze

Content: “The program where I work has grown 40 times its original size [in terms of the number of communities it served], and the person who had this job before me never got assistance,” the staffer says, even when the program grew. Still, she says, “There are three positions that manage the program. One was empty, one retired, so it’s just me. And all of the work is statutorily required,” meaning that federal law mandates it. Employees at the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) are feeling a similar labor crunch. One VA health-science specialist who also asked not to be identified for fear of losing her job says the hiring freeze has exacerbated the department’s chronic understaffing problem. Of the two teams she works on, one has three people though she says there is enough work for four; the other has 12 people though she says there should be 15. Although the OMB has stipulated that the majority of open jobs within the VA, including most doctors, will be exempt from the freeze, the specialist predicts that it will still make most employees’ lives more difficult. The department’s support staff—including administrators and clerical workers—are also essential, she says.