New Executive Order Continues Federal Hiring Freeze

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EFFECTIVE

October 18, 2025

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Quick Look

  • President Trump’s Ensuring Continued Accountability in Federal Hiring Executive Order indefinitely extends the federal civilian hiring freeze and imposes new oversight and planning requirements for agency hiring.
  • Under the EO, federal agencies must form Strategic Hiring Committees and submit annual and quarterly staffing plans to OPM and OMB, with hiring decisions aligned to administration priorities.

Discussion

On October 18, 2025, President Trump issued a new Executive Order titled Ensuring Continued Accountability in Federal Hiring that indefinitely extends the federal civilian hiring freeze and establishes a new framework for approving any new hires or position creations within executive agencies.

 

Under the EO, no federal civilian position may be filled, and no new position may be created, unless explicitly permitted by law or approved under the Order’s exceptions. Each agency is required to form a Strategic Hiring Committee, which must include the deputy agency head and the agency’s chief of staff. This Committee is tasked with overseeing and approving all hiring decisions. Additionally, agencies must develop and submit an Annual Staffing Plan to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), aligning hiring with the administration’s priorities and the Merit Hiring Plan issued earlier in 2025.

 

These staffing plans must aim to improve efficiency, eliminate duplicative roles, reduce low-value contractor positions, and prioritize hiring for national security, homeland security, and public safety. In addition to the annual submission, agencies will be required to submit quarterly updates beginning in Fiscal Year 2026 to track progress.

 

The order includes certain exemptions for political appointments, military personnel, and roles related to immigration enforcement, national security, and public safety. OPM retains authority to grant additional exemptions, and a joint implementation report from OMB and OPM is due to the President within 180 days of the EO’s issuance.

 

While the Executive Order applies directly to federal agencies, private employers (particularly federal contractors or those engaged in public sector partnerships) may experience indirect impacts as agency hiring slows or staffing shifts. Employers should continue to monitor ongoing regulatory developments to stay on top of future obligations and potential ripple effects.

 

Action Items

  1. Review the EO and associated Fact Sheet.
  2. Assess whether Company operations or contracts may be affected by changes in federal staffing.

Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser. © 2025 ManagEase