Hiring Freezes?? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Well my agency let me know today they can't proceed with my second interview because of the freeze... womp womp.

sorry to hear that... i didn't think the hiring freeze was also an interviewing freeze. i assumed agencies would finish interviewing people and extend offers once the freeze was lifted.

[zot1]

Well my agency let me know today they can't proceed with my second interview because of the freeze... womp womp.

sorry to hear that... i didn't think the hiring freeze was also an interviewing freeze. i assumed agencies would finish interviewing people and extend offers once the freeze was lifted.

I know I'm breaking my promise here, but if you're interviewing, the vacancy hasn't been filled.

Still, that fucking sucks and I'm really sorry anon is going through that.

Here's what I heard about an agency (please don't ask me which one): we are waiting on HQ guidance. The expectation is that such guidance won't happen for 2-4 weeks.

[haus]

Well my agency let me know today they can't proceed with my second interview because of the freeze... womp womp.

sorry to hear that... i didn't think the hiring freeze was also an interviewing freeze. i assumed agencies would finish interviewing people and extend offers once the freeze was lifted.

Sadly, I do not think that the freeze will be lifted soon.

[Anonymous User]

Well my agency let me know today they can't proceed with my second interview because of the freeze... womp womp.

sorry to hear that... i didn't think the hiring freeze was also an interviewing freeze. i assumed agencies would finish interviewing people and extend offers once the freeze was lifted.

Sadly, I do not think that the freeze will be lifted soon.

Isn't it 90 day freeze followed by budget review?

[zot1]

The order expires "upon implementation of the OMB plan." OMB may recommend a plan within 90 days (which I doubt they'll be able to meet), but recommendation doesn't mean implementation. For all we now, the administration could reject the plan for an indefinite period of time. Of course that's unlikely too but the wording allows for that to happen.

[FSK]

I bet Trump lifts the freeze before a plan is even introduced. Freezes are stupid and hurt his agenda. For instance, this indiscriminately kills many, many vacancies for doctors at the VA. Trump hates bad press; its coming at him.

[zot1]

I bet Trump lifts the freeze before a plan is even introduced. Freezes are stupid and hurt his agenda. For instance, this indiscriminately kills many, many vacancies for doctors at the VA. Trump hates bad press; its coming at him.

Except he provided an exemption for public safety, which would get certain doctors included.

I think part of the reason why agencies will take some time drafting their guidance is because they will try to include as many exemptions as possible.

However, I too agree this freeze doesn't help anyone. He got what he wanted, which was to say he's doing this for the taxpayers (ironic since all of us are taxpayers too), so he could lift it quietly in time to come.

Okay, I'm really gonna get out of here now.

[rpupkin]

I bet Trump lifts the freeze before a plan is even introduced. Freezes are stupid and hurt his agenda.

LOL @ the notion of Trump having an intelligible "agenda." The federal hiring freeze is one of his only promises that's relatively easy to deliver on via unilateral executive action. He's not going to lift the freeze anytime soon.

[Anonymous User]

After 4 months of interviews, I was offered an AUSA position in early December. Background check still pending. Spoke to HR today, they let me know that people with pending offers should not be affected (and historically have not been affected) but that they were still waiting for the executive office to clarify.

Like many of you, it feels like a punch in the stomach. It's my dream job. Hope some of you have better luck and get definitive answers.

[Anonymous User]

I am in the same boat. I received an offer at the end of November and I am waiting on the FBI background check. The Office told me the same thing. Hopefully, an accepted tentative offer means that the position is no longer vacant.

Good luck everyone!

[A. Nony Mouse]

Yeah, I got told "at this time, we do not have information on how the freeze will affect prior offers. We should be receiving guidance within the next few days and it will be disseminated to those affected." Woo hoo. Fingers crossed for everyone. (So sorry, anon whose interview got canceled.)

[Anonymous User]

For those waiting on the background check, when was your application sent up. 12/07 for me. And still waiting

[Anonymous User]

Mine was sent to the security section 1/5.

[newlawgrad]

After 4 months of interviews, I was offered an AUSA position in early December. Background check still pending. Spoke to HR today, they let me know that people with pending offers should not be affected (and historically have not been affected) but that they were still waiting for the executive office to clarify.

Like many of you, it feels like a punch in the stomach. It's my dream job. Hope some of you have better luck and get definitive answers.

I am in the same boat. I received an offer at the end of November and I am waiting on the FBI background check. The Office told me the same thing. Hopefully, an accepted tentative offer means that the position is no longer vacant.

Good luck everyone!

Godspeed to both of you. I take it you are simply waiting on the pre-employment background check, not the "full" background check, at which point you were to start working?

[Anonymous User]

Well my agency let me know today they can't proceed with my second interview because of the freeze... womp womp.

sorry to hear that... i didn't think the hiring freeze was also an interviewing freeze. i assumed agencies would finish interviewing people and extend offers once the freeze was lifted.

I know I'm breaking my promise here, but if you're interviewing, the vacancy hasn't been filled.

Still, that fucking sucks and I'm really sorry anon is going through that.

Here's what I heard about an agency (please don't ask me which one): we are waiting on HQ guidance. The expectation is that such guidance won't happen for 2-4 weeks.

I'm the anon who had he hiring process stalled... basically zot1's reason is on point. They don't want to continue with the process because there's no way to actually fill the vacancy.

[Dnova002]

Yes.

[Anonymous User]

Godspeed to both of you. I take it you are simply waiting on the pre-employment background check, not the "full" background check, at which point you were to start working?

Right, I am waiting on the waiver so that I can start working while they complete the full field investigation.

[Anonymous User]

Not sure if this info will be helpful for anyone, but I had an ALJ clerkship interview today and they told me that they're not sure if the hiring freeze will affect the position since it's a term position and there have been exceptions for term positions in the past. I'm not holding my breath though. Good luck to everyone!

[Anonymous User]

http://www.fedsmith.com/2017/01/24/fede ... e-answers/

"No vacant positions existing at noon on January 22, 2017, may be filled and no new positions may be created, except in limited circumstances. That is direct and to the point. What it does not clearly address is whether agencies can honor job offers they already made. As written, the answer would be no, because the positions are still vacant."

[Anonymous User]

http://www.fedsmith.com/2017/01/24/fede ... e-answers/

"No vacant positions existing at noon on January 22, 2017, may be filled and no new positions may be created, except in limited circumstances. That is direct and to the point. What it does not clearly address is whether agencies can honor job offers they already made. As written, the answer would be no, because the positions are still vacant."

Written by this guy:

Jeff Neal is a senior vice president for ICF and founder of the blog, ChiefHRO.com. He has 33 years in federal service, including serving as Chief Human Capital Officer for the Department of Homeland Security and Chief Human Resources Officer for the Defense Logistics Agency. Jeff is also a Fellow and Director at the National Academy of Public Administration and a Partnership for Public Service SAGE.

Zot, hate to make authority arguments here, but is your take more credible than this guy's?

[zot1]

Anon, as I've stated, my opinion is worth nothing. So take it for what it's worth.

[FSK]

I still feel like vacant can mean anything the agency head wants, so the only person's who authoirty matters for shit is the agency head

[andythefir]

I still feel like vacant can mean anything the agency head wants, so the only person's who authoirty matters for shit is the agency head

That's what it seems to me, too, in addition to the agency head's ability to define for himself what public safety is and make exceptions. The order seems to be essentially an out for agency heads that want to not keep offers extended while keeping the ones they do want.

[Anonymous User]

Any other fed attorneys know if this freezes pay as in only the general 1-2% increases government-wide each year or automatic promotions as well, i.e. from GS11-12 or 12-13?

The leaked EO did not mention pay and WaPo posted an article correcting previous statements about pay increases. Therefore, I think pay increases are safe.

In every prior pay freeze under both Democrats and Republicans, grade increases (career and non career ladder promotions) and step increases were not affected. I think career ladder grade increases should be completely safe since they are technically considered promotions rather than raises and don't involve a new FTE. Union negotiated performance pay plans in agencies that have those were not affected in prior pay freezes either since they are administered pursuant to a CBA. So I think it would just be the general increases that would be frozen.

Plus as someone pointed out the executive order didn't mention anything about a pay freeze to begin with.

[Anonymous User]

http://patch.com/texas/southaustin/trum ... y-accepted

Also read on some DoD blogs that the same thing is going on there.