Thursday, January 5, 2017
Washington, D.C. – Today, National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) National President Randy Erwin expressed his disappointment with the signing of an Executive Order that prohibits any additional new hires in the federal government except for some national security positions.
“Freezing hiring in the federal government is a bad idea. It will not achieve savings and it will certainly disrupt the ability of federal agencies to carry out the business of the American people.” Erwin stated. He continued, “It is a false belief that a hiring freeze shrinks government because the work is simply outsourced to contractors at greater cost to the American people.”
The Executive Order affects a vast majority of federal agencies worsening the struggle to keep up with vacancies due to retirements and other departures. The hiring ban will make it impossible for most agencies to hire needed experts, and it will cripple employment opportunities particularly for women, veterans, minorities and the disabled.
“President Trump needs to stop campaigning and start governing. This executive order shows he is still campaigning, only now he is doing it at the taxpayers’ expense,” Erwin stated. “I do not think President Trump understands the crippling effect a hiring freeze has on the ability of agencies to function, or perhaps he just does not care. Either way, this is bad news for the American people.”