Trump orders hiring freeze; nixes remote work

Among the flurry of executive orders President Donald Trump signed Monday after being sworn in are measures to implement a federal hiring freeze and telling government staff to return to in-person work.

“Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis,” Trump said in announcing the latter order.

The remote work order did say shall agency brass “shall make exemptions they deem necessary.”

As for the hiring freeze, no federal civilian job vacant at noon on Jan. 20 may be filled,
“and no new position may be created except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or other applicable law,” according to the document. The order does not cover openings in the military or national security and some other areas. The move is part of the Trump goal to curb the size of the federal government.

The order says the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management must draft a report within 90 days to the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. The report will include a plan to reduce the size of government “through efficiency improvements and attrition.”  The order does not repeal any existing collective bargaining agreements.

The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management did not respond by deadline Tuesday as to its current number of vacancies and remote workers. Recruiting new people to replace departing senior hands has been an ongoing concern for the nuclear cleanup office.

During the pandemic, Environmental Management and the National Nuclear Security Administration made maximum use of telework arrangements. 

The White House also issued an order seeking to weed out “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs that the order deems “ illegal and immoral discrimination programs.” National news outlets reported this week that employees in diversity offices are being sent layoff notices. 

This is a shift from the Biden administration., which often listed diversity as a goal. “ In late 2022, DOE released its first ever Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan to underscore the department’s commitment to creating a workplace that celebrates Americans of all backgrounds,” according to DOE’s fiscal 2025 budget justification issued by the Biden White House.